Echoes of the Past
by Icha
Summary: Diana's nightmare when she has to face the love history between Batman and Catwoman. Ch 9: Bruce Wayne went to the charity dinner with his newest ‘victim’, Dinah Lance who was ready to knock him anytime. There, they met someone else...
1. A Favor for a Friend

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: It's sister talk again between Diana and Donna! Donna was very excited when Diana received a new bat costume from Bruce. But then they also talked about a current friend, whose name suddenly revealed a story from the past...a story that Diana didn't expect to hear, let alone exist. In continuity with 'The Black Snow' (to be completed) and 'The Return of My Sister' (still only on chapter one...). Special thanks to Athena Phoenix for the great beta. And please excuse my bat...ehm... bad habit of writing another story in continuity with the other one that is not finished yet...Blame my muses. No continuity with the current DC installments. Screw DC's Infinite Crisis! All characters belong to the DC Comics, and trust me, I make no money out of this._

**Chapter 1. A Favor for a Friend**

The end of summer felt refreshing as I flew across the New York sky, glancing at various lights that started to glow down there. Today had been a particularly tiring day, not from fighting Tartarus monsters or masked villains. Instead, I had various meetings, from a morning panel discussion at Harvard about neo-paganism with Julia Kapatelis and Dan Brown (yes, the writer of 'The Da Vinci Code'), meetings with several delegations from Vietnam and Tanzania, up to the routine discussions with our local AIDS foundation – all had been delayed because of my previous adventure in New Chronus and Mynosyss. The last meeting in our Wonder Woman Foundation office in Mexico was particularly tiring, and for once, I couldn't talk directly about it with Bruce. It was a bit too...sensitive... and I needed more time to think before I called him later tonight, or tomorrow...

Oh well...fine! I'd say it now, and then I'd shut up.

It was about Selina.

Yes, _the_ Selina Kyle. Bruce's ex. The famous gorgeous petite Catwoman.

Well, perhaps not about her, really. I was just a bit tired, and out of sorts... I'd become a bit worried.

You see, our foundation in Mexico City had just hired a new staff member; Maria Fernandez, a bright girl with a promising future. But she had a very sad past, apparently. A few months before she was recruited, Maria was strolling the streets of Mexico City as a prostitute. It wasn't her choice, though. She came from a broken family with no money, and thus ended up in the street as a teenager. She had been 'adventuring' in the city for five years before my friends took her under their care. It turned out that Maria was a clever girl. From being a part time helper, she was promoted to be one of the assistants of our street program. That was the program to empower and train street girls (like Maria had been), so that they could have alternative skills should they decided to quit "the life".

Now Maria was a vocal activist in our foundation. She was very different from the last time I had seen her, a week after her first assignment in our office. Back then, she was skinny and pessimistic. She couldn't even look into my eyes, even though I tried to talk to her. Now, she was this enthusiastic social helper, ready to help those unlucky ones, the way she was helped before.

That was good, no? So what was the problem?

The problem was that Maria had a sister, Inez, who left her to go to the U.S. four years ago. Apparently they used to 'travel' the streets together. Then, because of a false belief that America was a better place to make a living, Inez left Maria and went to the U.S. with a dashing middle-aged man. Then Maria, knowing that I was based in New York City, asked me to locate her sister, and give Inez her message.

"She should go home," Maria had told me earlier with determination. "She knows nothing of life but what she had before. The life I had before. And now that I know there is more in life than that, I want her to know that too."

"Don't you think that she's getting better in the U.S.?" I had asked her. "Perhaps she has let go of her past, the way you have."

I remembered that Maria had winced. "If that were the case, I won't be this worried, Diana. I was not sure where Inez went, but she did promise to write me emails and send news as often as she can. Her first emails were nice, full of promises. But then, it turned out worse, as if she wasn't comfortable anymore there – wherever she was.And now..." Maria's voice had faltered, "she hasn't emailed me for more than a year..."

"Any idea where she lives?" Even if the Justice League database couldn't help me, Bruce sure could.

"She only sent me her photo once, three years ago." Maria had handed me a worn piece of a photograph. "She said she lived in that city. I thought it was in New York, so I thought you might be able to help."

I remembered looking into that photograph, expecting to see a New York landmark that I recognized. But instead...

"That's not New York," I had told Maria. And it wasn't. Inez, the copper-haired girl with lovely big brown eyes, was posing in front of a bridge, with gothic buildings in the background. The photograph was taken in the evening, so the light wasn't good enough for identification.

"What? But she told me that the guy who invited her to the U.S. was from New York. She should be staying with him then, no?"

I had tried to suggest something. "Perhaps they moved out? Or, are you sure that Inez was still living with that man?"

Maria had only shaken her head desperately.

"Okay, let's try another way. If you don't mind, would you show me her last emails?"

So we had spent some time browsing Inez's emails to Maria. There hadn't been many; we finished in less than fifteen minutes. Inez didn't write a lot. In her first emails, she had said that she missed Maria, but 'the life here is glamorous, so there's no way I wanna go back to Mexico. Not now, at least!'

Then she had stopped emailing her sister for a few months. In her second year in the States, her emails got sadder and sadder, until she had written, 'I'm worried, Maria. I think Jose doesn't like me anymore. I'm afraid that I'll have to leave this city soon... But I don't want to! I won't leave! Gotham has promised me a lot! I will not let go!'

"Gotham! So, Inez was in Gotham. Now, it would be easier," I had comforted Maria. But then Inez' last email, written a year ago, said something else.

'I have to sneak out just to send you this. Forget Mexico. I might not be able to come back. Jose has me broke, no money to run. Two nights ago he punched me so hard for refusing to do something very disgusting, I still can't eat well now. I stole some bucks to go to the internet cafe to write this. It's the end. East End is the end. I have to leave. But I don't know how...'

"East End..." I had whispered.

"What is East End?" Maria asked. "I thought it was just an idiom."

"No," I tried to explain. "East End is a place..."

"So you know that place?" Maria's brown-black eyes brightened in hope. "Will you help me then?"

I remembered that I suddenly had a lump in my throat, and only managed to mutter something like "Sure, I will." Maria then jumped up and hugged me, though I was still in a daze, chanting "Gracias! Gracias!"

Now, I had a nice evening planned, huh? Promising to help a friend, meaning I had to go to the East End. Which meant I had to see _her_ – the lovely little kitty...

Was I jealous of her? Don't be silly, Diana! What's there to be jealous of?

For Gods' sake, I didn't care. I had Donna here with me now, so I could talk about everything instantly, just like the way we used to be.

Donna.

I couldn't thank the Gods enough for bringing my little sister back to me. Sometimes I thought that the whole thing was too good to be true. I mean, less than three months ago, Bruce and I started dating. And though we were still incognito, his love and care for me were enough to make me accept that most of our friends didn't know about us, except for a very small circle of friends. Which, of course, included Donna, who had just came back to me a mere few days ago, and was very very excited when I told her about Bruce and I.

Donna. My little sister, coming back to me. I found myself praying every day and night for her not to be taken away from me anymore.

With Hermes' speed, it would only take me less than five minutes to get from my Foundation office in Mexico City to the Embassy. But somehow I slowed down today, so it took me almost twenty minutes from taking off to descending. The Embassy's lights had been turned on – I supposed Ferdinand did that. He was just too happy to meet Donna again. Since her arrival, my dear Ferdinand had been busy cooking her various meaty meals (how fortunate for him, as I didn't eat meat anymore!).

As I touched down in the upper balcony, I found that all the staff had gone home, except for Rachel. Still finishing her last assignments, she tilted her head as she heard me coming in.

"Go home Rachel. It's Friday night," I greeted her. Athena knew how hard Rachel worked, and thus she deserved a good weekend. "Go to cafes or movies or something like that." I walked to the table and put my laptop backpack down.

"Only if you do that too, Madam Ambassador," she grinned. "I've had contingency plans in case some paparazzi came out with bombastic news of Diana of Themyscira dating the most eligible bachelor in the U.S., so you don't have to worry about it."

Now how did she know that! That Bruce and I were dating?

"I do not have the slightest idea of what you are talking about, dear Rachel," I played with one or two pieces of her papers, trying to act Batman-ish.

"And you always forget that you're the world's worst liar," she smiled devilishly. She tidied up her table, grabbed her bag, and started to walk out when she suddenly turned and talked over her shoulder. "I almost forgot – there's a package waiting for you. I've put it in your room."

"A package? From whom?"

"Well, two packages, to be precise. No message. But there was this tiny symbol that every girl would recognise." She flashed that mischievous grin again and walked away.

Tiny symbol? I arched my eyebrow in curiosity. "Is Donna home already?"

"Yup, she's down there! Having an early dinner with Ferdinand. Or examining your package."

She sure was acting as I'd received a marriage proposal from Donald Trump or someone like that.

Wait a minute. Not Bruce! Bruce wouldn't send such a package with the Wayne Enterprises symbol to my Embassy, would he? That would just blow our cover then. And what that package was about? Why didn't she put it in my office instead?

But as I walked down the dining room, I found that the prospect of gossiping with Donna was more interesting than guessing what was in the package (hopefully not a sick Joker joke) or who sent it. Listening to my own boots clicking along the corridor, I suddenly smelled a very tempting fragrance from the kitchen. Spinach ricotta quiche.

I pushed the kitchen door open to find Ferdinand putting down a plate of something smelling wonderful on the kitchen table – and my little sister Donna Troy, wearing an oversized Donald Duck t-shirt (very her!), busily finishing her first plate of something that also looked wonderful. All my tiredness just vanished once I saw Donna. She tilted her raven-haired head upon hearing me coming in.

"Di! Just in time! I'm just starting my second round of Ferdinand's quiche! Here, come and try it!" My sister blew a strand of her hair out of her mouth, which apparently hindered her eating process.

"Diana. A vegetarian quiche for you," Ferdinand nodded his Khitotaur head.

In the first few days of our reunion, we were busy in helping the Mynosyssians preparing for battle against the Titans of Myth. Then upon our return to Earth, Donna and I were busy as well caring for each other, telling how glad and grateful we were that she was alive, and we could resume our lives again as before. I helped her settle in again in the Embassy (after her death, I had sold our old apartment), setting up a vacant room on the same floor as mine for her bedroom, and another room downstairs for her office. She also went to visit Themyscira for several days. Then as days gone by, Donna started to lose her sorrow (upon what she did to the Mynosyssians), and begun to be her old self: the cheerful, happy-go-lucky Donna before her death, three years ago.

And that included occasionally eating up my food, providing that she was very hungry.

"I didn't eat yours, Sissy, no worries. Ferdinand made me the beef version," grinning, Donna pushed a plate of (indeed) spinach ricotta quiche to me.

"How thoughtful," I smiled back. I was not hungry yet, but I'd have a bite of Ferdinand's quiche. "How's your day?"

"Good..." munching between her meal. She's more beautiful than Aphrodite, but she could also act as carelessly as Pan. "Talked with several old friends. Visited Titans Tower and the Outsiders' headquarter. Had a talk with Kory. I wanna set up my portfolio again. Hope those guys out there will still accept my photographs."

With my left palm supporting my chin, I picked up my fork and started to cut the quiche. "They sure will. Have you tried the darkroom?"

"Yup – it went all well. Though of course it won't hurt me to invest in good digital camera for today's photography. Makes things a lot easier."

"The quiche was good, as usual, Ferdinand," I called. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Diana," my version of Alfred Pennyworth answered from the stove area, squatting in front of the oven.

"How was _your_ day?" Donna asked, sweeping away a curl of her hair.

I shrugged. "So-so..."

"Not good, huh?"

I smiled weakly. Donna studied me for a moment while licking her fork. "You wanna talk about it?"

I shook my head. "Later, perhaps. Not now." Then I changed the subject. "Have you activated your account?" Since Donna's death, I'd frozen her bank account without knowing what to do with it. I figured out that I would just donate the money to some orphanage, but somehow I didn't manage to do that. Now I was glad that I hadn't, as Donna could directly access her old accounts again.

"Just this afternoon. Poor Mr. Smith there, he was so shocked that I appeared alive and okay in front of him, he demanded a lot of ID from me before he gave me my money," Donna giggled as she munched her last piece of quiche. "Of course your recommendation and phone calls worked. Not to mention the new ID card Dick gave me."

Then suddenly my sister just put down her fork, and looked at me with twinkling eyes. "Speaking of which, Diana, there's a package for you upstairs."

"I know. Rachel told me."

"And you know who sent it?"

I shrugged. "Some names passed through my mind."

"Including Bruce?"

I glanced at my very excited sister. "That occurred to me. But why would he deliver a package like that? Rachel was grinning all the time as she told me that. She must've thought that a rich guy just sent me a wedding dress."

"Well... it does look like a dress box. And another one, a shoe box? Big and white, you know. With ribbons. Red ribbons." Donna's baby blue eyes were dancing in front of me.

"So?"

"Sooooo?" this time her eyes just darted up to heaven along with her hands. "By Rhea! Aren't you at least excited? What are you waiting for! C'mon open them!"

With that, she rose from her chair. I managed to swallow the last piece of my quiche and mutter a thank you to Ferdinand, before Donna dragged me upstairs.

xxx

So, there they were: two big white boxes, each tied with a big red ribbon. One looked like a dress box. And both had a W symbol, for Wayne Enterprises. Or was that for Wonder Woman? I suddenly realized how eerily similar my Wonder Woman symbol was to the Wayne Enterprises logo.

Donna was jumping frantically in front of me. "Open it! Open it!"

"Do you know the word 'patience'?" I lifted the box, guessing what was inside by its weight.

"You can tell me later. Gimme your Ambassadorial dossier about 'patience' later," Donna's hands were everywhere in the air. "Now I just wanna know what your boyfriend sent you."

My boyfriend. As I recalled, Donna was the first person who addressed Bruce as 'my boyfriend'. Of course, I told her at the same time I told Cassie, when the three of us were strolling the empty New Chronus as that half-moon vehicle (or planet?) approached the Earth. I just couldn't leave Cassie behind. I'd lied to her about her father, Lord Zeus. I just couldn't leave her out of such a big secret anymore. Even if the secret involved the Batman.

Both of my sisters had just gone agape for a while. Then as Cassie muttered, "You date the Batman. Bruce Wayne. You date Bruce Wayne..." over and over again, Donna just looked at me lovingly. Caressing my face with her fingers, she had looked at me in such a sisterly spirit, a spirit I'd long missed.

"I'm truly, truly happy for you, dear Sister," was all she'd said. And as we looked into the darkness of space between Earth and New Chronus, she had just cuddled up to my arm and rested her head on my shoulder.

As we arrived on the Embassy (and Donna had left New Chronus orbiting the Moon, within sight of the Justice League Watchtower), Cassie had started to question me about my relationship with Bruce.

"You haven't told Kara about this, have you? Coz I won't forgive you if you told her first before me. You haven't, have you?"

"No, Kara doesn't know yet." I should've known better that in their age, Cassandra Sandsmark might rival Kara Zor-El. At least in getting my attention.

"Good. So, how does it feel, dating _the_ Bruce Wayne?"

Funny how in the eyes of a teenager, even a teenager who worked with Batman's sidekick, the Batman couldn't possibly be the billionaire Bruce Wayne. So it happened with Cassie, I supposed.

"I don't know, Cassie. I never go out with _the_ Bruce Wayne. So I haven't started living 'champagne wishes and caviar dreams', if that's what you're after."

"But how could you let that happen? At least you guys should go to the movie together once! Serenity is playing, you know? That dude, Joss Whedon, is planning to make a Wonder Woman movie! Your movie! You know..."

And it went on, and on, and on, until Helena Sandsmark called her daughter home, so she could do her homework that was due the next day.

Donna, on the other hand, still maintained her poise upon learning of my relationship with Bruce. Alas, it was only for a few days. As soon as she regained her cheerfulness, her gossiping attitude was resurrected as well, resulting in hours and hours of her trying to know _every_ detail of my dates with Bruce. Of course, I could still manage to escape some of them. But apparently tonight was not the case.

"Go on, Sissy, open it. Don't just stare at it! Rachel and I've scanned the boxes –

no bombs inside." Donna plumped onto my bed, tossing her sandals away, and supporting her head with one hand.

"I will stay right here until you open it." Her blue eyes twinkled in delight.

Charming. Now I didn't even have any privacy.

So, I inhaled, and exhaled. And inhaled, and exhaled. And inhaled... and looking at dear Donna who soon would unleash her version of Etrigan the Demon... and I pulled off the red ribbon of the first box. Lifting the white box lid, I saw...

"What's that? A black costume?" Donna's head suddenly popped right next to me, peering into the box. "A bit too early for Halloween, dontchasay?"

Suddenly I knew what this was all about. Smiling, I picked up a black leather costume, admiring its lightweight material. I only knew very few people who were able to design and make this material, including –

"The Batman! It was from him!" With speed faster than Flash, Donna grabbed a small card placed among the costume set. It was a white blank card, with only a bat symbol on it. But it was enough for both of us.

"My Bat costume..." I muttered.

xxx

_Author's Note: _ _I'm sure that Ferdinand was already around before Donna died. He wasn't depicted in the 'Who was Donna Troy?' episode, but he appeared in the same book, i.e. 'Teen Titans/Outsiders Secret Files 2003'. And yeah, I tried to pack the story with interesting women, Donna Troy among others. But as you can guess, the other major guest star is the Catwoman! And I will try to write her cool, coz believe it or not, I like the brash lady._


	2. Hunter of the Knight

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: It's sister talk again between Diana and Donna! Donna was very excited when Diana received a new batcostume from Bruce. But then they also talked of a current friend, whose name suddenly revealed a story from the past...a story that Diana didn't expect to hear, let alone exist. In continuity with 'The Return of My Sister' (still only chapter one...). Screw DC's Infinite Crisis! All characters belong to the DC Comics, and trust me, I make no money out of this. Special thanks to Athena Phoenix for the great beta._

**Chapter 2. Hunter of the Knight**

Still holding my newly arrived costume, I turned to my sister.

"Your what? You're gonna go patrol with him?" Donna's eyes widened in disbelief. "But no one –"

"No metahuman is allowed to be in Gotham. With the exception of a meta dressed in black." I grinned, enjoying her surprise.

"With the exception of a lover dressed in black, who also happens to be a meta," Donna corrected. "So, you _are_ gonna patrol Gotham with him? That's why he sent you this costume."

I weighed the costume in my hand, then rustled through the box to look for anything else. There was a golden utility belt (of course!), with the hybrid of bat and WW as the insignia. I found a pair of black gloves, as well as a cute bat (or eagle?) mask. At the bottom of the box was a black cape. All the materials were light and wouldn't impede my movement.

Donna was also busy pulling on the ribbon of the other box. "May I?" she asked, out of courtesy, though actually she was just about to lift the lid. I shrugged, and she opened the other box.

"Ooohhh... boots! Cool boots!"

I looked at the boots. "It's... well... black."

"Yeah. But look at the design. It's thigh-high, but very flexible, and...your favorite: no heels. Well, not stilettos, at least."

"Rubber heels," I took one boot from the box, examining it. It was indeed light, and – more importantly – seemed feet-friendly. That's my first condition for my boots: comfortable. After al, I don't want to kick villains with stilettos that will hurt my feet by the end of the day. That was why I had kept my red boots for years: they were so comfy, they felt like my own skin.

Donna grabbed the whole costume and thrust it to me. "Go on, try it!"

I looked at my coat, blouse and trousers (I didn't wear my costume to the meetings). "I haven't taken a bath."

"What's that gotta do with trying on a costume?"

"Because..." I suddenly blushed. " – well, I stink, and the costume was from Bruce..."

"Oh, for Rhea's sake!" Donna rolled her eyes. "He wouldn't notice that! Besides, your natural pheromone will just stick with the costume, and that's good!" She pushed me to the dressing room. "I'm waiting!"

It took me almost ten minutes to put the costume on and figure out how to attach the cape. You see, Bruce and I had discussed whether it would be better for me to wear full body-covering costume like his and Nightwing's, or the Huntress (though Helena Bertinelli used to alter her costume for a while, exposing her waist lines and a part of her midriff, eventually she returned to full coverage), or...er...Catwoman, for that matter. But when I donned my other warrior armor (the one with blue plated metal skirt, plus a red cape) before we departed to Mynosyss, he then realized that perhaps a Greek warrior skirt suited me better. Then he muttered on something like changing my bat-costume, so I had to wait for a while. Obviously he had modified the original costume, and just finished it recently.

I went back to my bedroom where Donna was starring at the ceiling and biting her nails. She turned as I entered, then exclaimed,

"Now _that's_ a cool costume!"

"What, are you implying that my current costume is not cool?"

"Aw... c'mon, Sissy. You know what people say_? Only Diana can wear that skimpy costume, and still look poised and elegant_. If somebody else wore it, they might think of ... er... well, let's say, that _I_ don't even want to wear it," Donna scratched her head. "With all respect to Diana Trevor, of course."

"Well, yes..." Well, that's true. My original costume was just too 'extraordinary' for Man's World. But, I liked it. It's a tribute to Diana Trevor. And speaking of skimpiness, look at what Starfire wore.

"So, you think this is cool?" When talking about fashion, Donna is my consultant. "I don't look like Xena?"

"Unless you change your lasso and start carrying her giant ring."

My costume was indeed based on Greek elements, i.e. short leather skirt, leather bustier, plus leather boots, all black. But Bruce had colored it with lots of bat elements. He maintained a golden WW insignia as my breastplate, but altering it a little to resemble bat ears. The skirt's and cape's hems mirrored the Batcape's scalloped hem. The utility belt, as I said before, was a hybrid of bat and WW, with a hook to attach my lasso. And though the costume came with arm-length gloves, the gloves were so light that I could easily put on my silver vambraces. The long cape – well, this one was a bit tricky. Bruce designed it the way he designed his cape, so I had to pull it over my neck to don it, and then it would drape over my shoulders and create a bat image mirroring the Batman's. That was a good idea, actually, as my bustier was strapless, and there was nowhere to attach the cape. The black boots felt comfortable, thank Hera. And there was this neat mask that resembled the Huntress' mask, but with an eagle's beak and long ears.

All and all, it was a good costume. But could I move with this new cape and boots?

"Can you move?" Donna seemed to read my mind (not surprisingly, being my twin soul sister). Suddenly she grabbed a _boken_ (Japanese wooden sword) that I had brought from Japan a while ago, and attacked me.

I ducked to avoid the _boken_, then swept my foot towards hers. She rolled forward, turned around, and swung the sword again to my chest. I lifted my arms and felt the silver-amazonium alloy clanking against the sword. Donna pulled the sword to strike again, but I managed to grab her wrist first and twisted it until she was down on the floor.

"Aawww! Okay, okay! I give up!"

I smirked. Being an ex-member of the Titans of Myth, Donna had bested me with her new moon power (well, I never could produce any starbolts, moonburst or sunburst anyway). But my martial arts still surpassed hers. Not that it mattered, anyway. But, suddenly with the batcostume I wore, I wanted to show her up a little bit. So I somersaulted twice and perched myself on top of my wardrobe cabinet, lurking like a bat.

"Show off..." Donna muttered, massaging her wrist.

"Sorry. _Bat_ habit. You'll have to ask Richard to teach you that." I still perched without moving.

"Or Roy, for that matter." She put the _boken_ back and threw herself again on the bed, as if nothing had happened. "Come down. Am not gonna attack you again."

I went down – jumping, not flying.

"So, you won't use your power of flight in Gotham? What's the deal?"

Now perching in my bed, I pulled out my mask, swinging it with my finger. "I help the Batman, that's the deal."

Donna took the mask from my hand. "With the mask? So, you're not going to be Wonder Woman in Gotham? You're not gonna wear your tiara?"

I opened a compartment in my new utility belt, pulling out a golden batarang (er – bat and WW hybrid batarang – whatever its name was). I shook my head. "No, I have this batarang already."

Donna knew that my tiara also functioned as a boomerang, the way Bruce used his batarangs. But that was not what she meant, and we both knew that.

"No, Diana. I mean, are you going to abandon your Wonder Woman identity for him?"

"Rephrasing your question: am I giving up my ideals and methods for the love of a man?"

"Er... yeah... not that blunt. But, well, in the end... assuming you guys are gonna go through with it... and I do sincerely hope so... will you? Let go of Wonder Woman for him?"

Examining my batarang, I smiled. "It looks like it, doesn't it? Because I don a different costume, I stop becoming Wonder Woman?"

Donna shifted her position several times, clearly becoming uncomfortable. "Well...yeah... no. I mean...I'm sorry, Sis. I didn't mean to hurt you. But I've never seen you this..."

"Compromising?"

"Well... no... _in love_. And willing to do everything for that. Not that it makes me sad, or whatever. Just...weird."

I looked up to the ceiling, studying its antique Greek elements.

"Me neither. I never thought I would fall in love this way, I mean. But I don't think it's a compromise at all."

I turned to Donna, who was listening carefully.

"You see, Sister, Bruce has given up his foremost rule about Gotham: no metahuman assistance allowed. Not to mention accepting my warrior way; that is, I don't hesitate to end my enemy's life – but only if that is the only way out. Because of his love for me, he opened up the gate, and is letting me in," I took off my boots, leaned on one of the bed's four pillars and hugged my knees.

"Bruce is risking his own life," I continued, "because anyone who notices Bruce Wayne and Diana of Themyscira together frequently will soon also know that Bruce is the Batman. And that means he's putting not only his life, but more importantly, the lives of his friends in danger; Alfred Pennyworth and Leslie Thompkins especially. Because of that, I accept the fact that, at least for the moment, it's almost impossible for Bruce and me to be seen together. Not as Bruce Wayne and Diana. But as Batman and Wonder Woman –"

"- your chance to spend time together will be greater this way," Donna nodded. "But why change the costume?"

"Because Gotham's criminals fear the Bat. At least, the Bat has already become an icon there. If a metahuman like me is consistently assisting in Gotham, then it will diminish other non-meta heroes, at least in the eyes of the villains. Then, if one day I don't operate in Gotham anymore, for any reason, the villains will feel free to damage the city again, because there will be no Wonder Woman there anymore deflecting bullets and tossing the Lasso of Truth. Then they will no longer fear the Batman, and it will be hard to make them scared again. Not to mention other heroes, like the Huntress, Black Canary, Nightwing, Robin... though Lady Artemis knows how good and talented they are."

Donna frowned. "I understand. But your argument is still weak."

"Because I still carry my lasso and wear my vambraces?"

"People will still identify you as Wonder Woman, with that weaponry. Not to mention your bat insignia, that looks very much like your WW symbol, to me."

I smiled. "That answers your previous question. Who said that I would give up on being Wonder Woman in Gotham?"

"Explain."

"Well, put it this way. My lasso and vambraces are very useful in battle, so Bruce just can't see why I shouldn't use them. He offered me the mask and bat cape just for the shadow effect – to maintain fear in the heart of the villains. Over time, villains might realize that Wonder Woman has come to help Gotham. But there will be no proof, as I will mainly stay behind the scenes. Bruce won't call me 'Wonder Woman' in Gotham of course, except when I had to go there outside my patrol hours. I will still become an Amazon in Gotham. But not an Amazon warrior. An Amazon huntress like my namesake, dressed as a bat."

"So...what's your code name? The Huntress is used already. I presume you won't double Artemis, though she's named after the Goddess of the Hunt."

I pursed my lips. "Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Hunt, is my namesake as well. I don't see why Bruce can't call me 'Diana' there."

Donna gave the idea a thought for a while, then beamed. "'Diana' sounds good, Diana. I definitely think that's a good code name." Rising up, she returned my mask. "Speaking of costumes, I have to get dressed. Roy's picking me up in fifteen."

"Going out again? Don't you tell me that you're moving into his place soon? I still miss you."

"No, unless you move out to Wayne Manor." She grinned, and I chuckled at this. "Lian misses me so much though, so I'd better get prepared soon."

"You're going out with Lian as well?" Lian was Roy Harper's daughter from another woman (Chessire, a very lunatic assasin, I should say), but that charming little girl loved Donna more than anyone else in this world. With the exception of Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, of course, as Dinah was Lian's godmother. Having lost her own son, Bobby, in a terrible car accident, I sincerely hoped that Donna would find her happiness in Lian and Roy together.

"Well, the plan was to have dinner together with her and Roy in a local Thai restaurant; then after putting Lian to sleep, I will go out to the movie with Roy."

"Don't tell me: _Serenity_?"

Donna chuckled. "I have to know what kind of director this Whedon is, as he's about to make a movie about my sister."

"Don't you believe that rumor," I giggled as well. Then, looking at my mask I held, I added absent-mindedly. "I sure hope my mask doesn't look like Helena's mask."

Donna shrugged. "It looks more of an eagle-bat, if you ask me. Besides, Helena doesn't wear a mask." Apparently she was thinking of another Helena.

"Which Helena are you referring to? I was referring to Helena Bertinelli, the Huntress." True, having too many Helenas could be confusing. In addition to the strong-headed Huntress, we knew Helena Sandsmark (Cassie's mother) and Helena Kosmatos the Fury.

"Ah, sorry... I was thinking of the Fury."

Fury had this bad tendency to explode in anger and rip out her enemy's heart; a 'courtesy' of the real Furies. "That would be scary." The thought just made me grimace.

My sister grinned and started to leave. Then she suddenly stopped, frowning.

"Di –"Donna pursed her lips. "About Helena..."

"Which one? Fury?"

"No. The Bertinelli one..." she hesitated.

"What about her?"

"Well... it's just... remember when I told you that I remembered the multiverse?"

I confirmed. "Yes. That was when Hyperion lifted your mental blocks in Mynosys." I looked at Donna with heightened curiosity. Helena Bertinelli was never a sensitive topic between us. Why suddenly now...

"Well... you see...because of that, my mind was suddenly flushed with many images of my past lives. Then as you gave me the Harbinger's orb, I also scanned for previous lives of others – just to understand, as I am to be the record keeper anyway."

"I understand. So?"

"Well... during my scanning – and this was when you already went back to Earth with Cassie, and I was still in New Cronus near the Moon, I studied Earth-2 as well. I saw some images that just went blurred, waiting to reveal their own meanings to me later on. One of them revealed itself just now."

Why, out of the blue, was my throat dry? "Yes...?"

"That... er... I think I saw another Huntress in Earth-2. Her name was also Helena. But she was not a Bertinelli. Instead, she was a Wayne."

Now, _that_ was scary.

"Her name was...er... Helena Wayne, Diana. The daughter of Earth-2 Batman and... Catwoman..."

Uh-oh.

xxx

_Author's very long note: _

_Of course, this is my attempt to explain several appearances of Helena Wayne in Infinite Crisis related stories. I heard that this Helena was an interesting character, the way Power Girl has been. Though I only have read about Helena Bertinelli's Huntress, I also know that Earth Two Huntress often help pre-crisis Wonder Woman in their adventures. I should find those episodes._

_I got the name of 'Diana' for Diana's 'name code' when I read about Meljean Brook's Bat-WW story, 'In the Darkest Light'. A very good story, one of my favorites, I should say. I mixed the elements for Diana's batcostume from 'In the Darkest Light', a picture of Diana as the Batwoman in JLA#90 (mostly the mask), a picture I found in Batman-WW Arkham (for the hybrid of bat and W), and a Batgirl Halloween costume with black batskirt, long gloves, and long boots. So, if you see those pictures, you got what I meant._

_Re: Serenity's Joss Whedon, I know it's not up to date. But I'd written this chapter quite a while ago, so don't blame me, okay. B'sides, it was a good movie._

_Re: Diana's name, I remembered why I love the name of 'Diana' so much. In addition to the Roman counterpart of the Greek Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon, in Sanskrit, 'Dhyan' means 'enlightenment' or 'wisdom'. Hence, Diana can be considered an extension of Dhyan as well, the Light, as she always has been representing, and thus my persistence on using her own name in Gotham. _

_I'm not sure that it's a pure 'coincidence' that Diana's name bares so many meanings (i.e., a tribute to Diana Trevor, Diana the Roman Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon, and the additional enlightenment). But again, I don't believe in such a coincidence; everything is planned by Divine Mother._


	3. First Patrol

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: Diana's first patrol in Gotham. But, on the contrary to Batman's early expectation, it didn't go the way he planned... In continuity with 'The Return of My Sister'. Screw DC's Infinite Crisis! All characters belong to the DC Comics, and trust me, I make no money out of this. Special thanks to Athena Phoenix for the excellent beta reading._

**Chapter 3. First Patrol**

Sitting straight on his majestic bat-chair, the Batman, _sans_ cowl, was busy working on his bat-server as he heard light steps descending to the Cave. He allowed himself a luxurious smile. Alfred had obviously grown accustomed to her presence at the Manor and in the Cave, since he didn't even bother to escort her downstairs. A good sign for the very disciplined English butler, actually, as it showed how he too had truly considered her an official part of the family. _Come to think of that, I haven't thanked Alfred for the Paradise roses... _Bruce Wayne's smirk grew into a grin as he remembered that holy night, the night when he him – the cold, ruthless Batman, of all people – had become one with Diana of Themyscira.

He waited for a while to hear the familiar melodious voice to greet him good evening, or perhaps even chide him for his lack of courtesy. _Or perhaps..._ his grin became wider_... trying other things with the new costume_.

But after a while, he grew impatient with her lack of courtesy. It was very unlike Diana not to greet him, even though they had become lovers.

"No 'good evening' or 'hello'?" The Bruce Wayne in him finally took the matter in hand.

"Well, hello to you too, Batman,"

_Aaahhh... finally...the voice..._

Slowly, Batman turned his chair to face Wonder Woman. He stapled his fingers to form a triangle in front of him, studying the Amazon Warrior who had been standing behind him for a while. Not Wonder Woman, this time. WonderBat? Batwoman? _We have to think of a codename..._

"Have you had dinner?"

"Just now, with Donna." _I lied...I ate alone...thinking and thinking..._ "You?"

"Just now, with Alfred." _Though I prefer eating with you_. "Like the costume?"

As her answer, Diana rotated slowly, arms spreading both ends of her cape in a 'how's this?' way. Again, Bruce allowed himself the luxury of scrutinizing his girlfriend and teammate from head to toe, admiring the way the new costume he had designed helped create another image of the woman he loved. The lightweight black leather had enhanced Diana's tall but lithe figure. The mask fit perfectly with her face, revealing enigma in the usually open and honest face. The short leather skirt... _uh, well...better not start down there. We're not going to patrol then..._

Batman stood and walked a few paces further from Diana. He wanted to take a zoom-out look at her. Amazing. The costume had perfectly balanced the Greco-Roman aspects of Diana, which she always wanted to keep, with his need to have a "dark" partner. It gave her not the image of a graceful warrior she had always astoundingly implied with her traditional Wonder Woman attire, but something else. Some_body_ else...

A dark warrior. Or, more likely, a dark hunter. _We can't opt for 'the Huntress'. The name has been taken._

"Not 'the Huntress', I'm afraid," Diana spoke regarding his concern. _Talking about mind-reading_. "That name has been taken. Can't take 'Artemis', either."

"What do you suggest?" It had to come from her. A code name was very personal; she should decide it on her own.

"Definitely not 'Batwoman'," she draped her cape to cover her front, mirroring the Batman. "Too many Batwomen already. Nor 'WonderBat'."

Bruce smirked. "So?"

"Diana."

"Diana?" he folded his hands, thinking.

"Yes, Diana."

"Isn't that as obvious as WonderBat?"

"Well, I'm not going to show off in Gotham the way I do in New York, am I?" Batman shrugged. "So, I don't see why I should bother thinking of a fancy code name to distinguish myself."

When Batman remained silent, she added. "Trust me, Bruce. I bet half of Gotham still couldn't distinguish between the Huntress and Batgirl. I mean, you guys just appear for a few seconds to save someone's life, then leave again. Another black-caped woman will not make any difference."

He had to agree with her. The codename was what the Batclan used to call each other during their missions. A 'weird' codename like Diana would actually work, as the Batclan didn't 'go public' the way the Justice League did.

"Bruce," Diana stepped forward, looking at him in the eye. "How about we just try it first? I've browsed through several other names, including mythological names. But I just stuck with my own name. The Roman Goddess of the Hunt? Sounds good to me. In Gotham, I'm not a warrior. Here, I'm a hunter. The way Amazons are, as gifted by Lady Artemis."

Batman had thought that Diana would choose a mythological name for her codename. But he never expected that she would pick her own name as her codename. A decision that – though he wouldn't admit it – he found strangely acceptable.

So he shrugged again, and smirked. "Sounds good, too. I have to inform Oracle that we're going now."

"Say hi from me," she replied absentmindedly. For quite some time, Diana had known that Oracle was a.k.a. Barbara Gordon. She also had suspected that Barbara knew about Bruce and her, especially after they – Batman and Wonder Woman – had gone to New Cronus to save Donna. Nightwing, her on-again, off-again boyfriend, would have tipped her off. "We should have dinner with her sometime."

Bruce smiled, putting on his cowl, and transformed into the Batman. As he activated the commlink to Oracle, Diana studied him carefully. He seemed happy to see her in the new costume, and didn't seem to mind her choice of codename. That was a relief. But still, her conversation with Donna lingered in her mind.

_You have to ask him, Di!_

_What should I say?_

The truth. Your curiosity. Let it go, and you will feel better.

_So, am I just going to say: Hi Bruce! By the way, I found that Selina and you, in Earth Two, had a baby girl. Do you plan to continue that story, or not?_

(Donna rolled her eyes) _Well...a little more subtle, please? You're a diplomat anyway, for Rhea's sake!_

_But I never had to deal with love triangles in the United Nations! Especially, a love triangle from a different – and extinct – universe!_

_Well... don't you think it's a good start, now?_

"Diana?"

"..."

"Diana? Hey!" Batman touched her arm. "You okay?"

Surprised, Diana tilted her head, looking at the white slits of Batman's lenses, and smiled weakly. "Umm...yeah. Sorry. Just thinking about Donna. She told me of...a problem I should fix."

"Bad?"

She shook her head, trying to smile. "Not really. I can fix it later. After patrol." _Not before or during the patrol. This is my first patrol, for Hera's sake!_

Batman nodded. "Shall we?"

"Sure!"

Within two minutes, a flashy Batmobile emerged from a hidden passage by the cliffs, carrying two dark figures inside.

xxx

"...and so I thought that I would be able to ask you to the charity ball tomorrow night. But I take it that you have other plans?"

She nodded. "Mmm-hmm. Washington, D.C. The opening of an Ancient Greek exhibition in the Smithsonian. I have to say that some of their displays and information would not be correct had I not volunteered to fix them up."

"The Herakles affairs?"

"Yes...and some others as well... You can't begin to imagine how convoluted the history was..."

He chuckled. "Aren't histories always like that? You really need the first person to tell it accurately."

She smiled. "So it seems..."

"But then you also need Plato and Aristotle to cross-check your information."

She glared. "Trust me, Bruce. I won't supply them false information. Even if the information disgraced the Amazon nation."

"Always the truth, eh?"

She looked away. "Yes, always..." It was almost a whisper.

Batman also turned his attention, studying the nightscape of Gotham City. They had been standing on the top of Wayne Tower for almost twenty minutes without saying anything. It wasn't what he expected from the first patrol. He thought that Diana would be very excited, asking him about this and that, things he would gladly answer. But no...she remained silent. Sometimes tucking her hair or cape, sometimes folding her hands. Sometimes shifting her weight from one leg to another.

Very un-Diana.

So instead, breaking his usual rule, he opted to be the first one to speak. He told her of various points to fire grapple guns (no-flying was their rule in Gotham, unless Diana was in her Wonder Woman uniform for non-patrol business), which poles to swing in, which stones to step to regain momentum for another swing, etc. He was glad that she followed his lectures seriously and confirmed several things. But she didn't try to continue the conversation.

He had frowned then, thinking that something must had been occupying her mind. She was not the most talkative woman he knew (her sister Donna Troy and Barbara Gordon were more chatty), but she usually talked of many things when she was with him. So he tried to tell her about his day: his meetings with major stakeholders and his investigation of the latest GCPD case. Even his plan to attend another charity function tomorrow night. She listened carefully and commented smartly, as she always did. But something was amiss.

Now, he asked of her activities today. _Her strange attitude must have come from somewhere, perhaps in one of her meetings._

"So...how was your day?"

She looked at him, as if just noticing his presence.

"Uh...well...you know..."

"Bad, I take it?"

Her beautiful azure eyes emanated a glint of sadness. "Well...yes...you can say that again..."

"Tell me?"

She looked away again, this time scrutinizing the street below. He had thought that she would say 'no...not now...", but then she spoke.

"A friend of mine in Mexico asked me for a help." She told him a story of a lost girl, possibly located in Gotham now, working as a prostitute.

"You want to find her? That shouldn't be too hard." He frowned. "Why didn't you say that earlier?"

"I...well... we thought that Inez's specific location was in the...East End."

_Ah, that's why._ Batman remained calm. "You can ask Catwoman's help. I'm sure she will help you with that."

"Yes... I thought so, too..."

_She wasn't sure._ "Problem's solved, then?"

"Well...yes..."

"Diana?"

"Huh?"

"Why don't you tell me your real problem? Not this East End one, I suppose?"

_Always the detective_. "No...well... yes... I suppose...umm..."

This time, the Batman lost his patience. He faced the tall beauty, cupping her chin gently to face him. "Diana...this is not you. Something's wrong with you tonight, and you haven't given me the real story here."

Azure eyes looked right through his lenses. "You really want to know, Bruce?"

"I thought you always told me to speak the truth?"

"This is not easy."

"What is easy? Now, tell me."

She hesitated for a while, then made up her mind. She sighed. "Okay. You want the truth, I give it to you."

Don't tell me it's not working, Princess. It's been working so well, I start believing in the light...

"After her rebirth, Donna had gained another power now."

"I saw those moonbursts."

"I didn't mean that. She now has the ability to see through the past and the future. She's a Harbinger."

He grimaced. Another type of magic. Despite his love for Diana, magic still made him uncomfortable.

"She saw bad things then? She told you about it?"

"Not all. Only a very small part related to...well, me. She has made a policy not to tell anyone about the past and the future. Her role is to keep records of the universe, not spread it like the daily news, as she said. Of course, unless there's an emergency."

"This was an emergency, what she told you?"

"Not really..." Diana frowned. _Perhaps it wasn't a good thing for Donna to tell me that. It was the past, anyway...Perhaps I shouldn't bother about it, either._

"Then what?" he folded his hands, starting to loose his patience again.

"Uhm... she told me that she saw several Earths as different multiverses. Earth One, Earth Two...Earth Three..." he didn't even flinch. "...In Earth Two, she saw different heroes as in Earth One. Most of the current heroes in JSA used to reside in Earth Two. Most Leaguers used to live in Earth One."

"The notion of different dimensions is not new to me."

She studied him for a while. "Even if I said that Earth One didn't have a Huntress, but Earth Two did?"

He shrugged. "To me, it's a random, Diana."

She arched her eyebrow. "Really! Is it random then, that the Huntress' name was also Helena? But her last name wasn't Bertinelli? Instead, it was…Wayne."

Now he frowned.

"Helena Wayne was the Huntress of Earth Two, Batman. She had taken the mantle of Huntress to continue the legacy of the dead Batman of Earth Two. Batman... whose name was also Bruce Wayne."

He remained silent, waiting for the final blow.

She swallowed. "Bruce Wayne...who married the Catwoman of Earth Two, a.k.a. Selina Kyle."

Now he understood why she was acting so strange tonight.

xxx


	4. A Talk over the Tower

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: Diana is troubled by Bruce's past life. And I mean past life, literally. Chapter 4: Diana finally tells Bruce her current problem with his past life. Then Bruce tells her the story of a Feline Fatale...BM-WW, BM-CW._

_In continuity with 'The Return of My Sister' (still only chapter three...). Screw DC's Infinite Crisis! All characters belong to the DC Comics, and trust me, I make no money out of this. Thanks always to Athena Phoenix for the great beta._

**Chapter 4. A Talk Over the Tower**

The soft breeze of Gotham blew my cape and hair. I draped the cape along my body to keep it from billowing. But a few seconds later, I let it go, and found that the sound of my cape swirling was actually quite comforting. Tucking a lock of my hair behind my left ear, I studied the Batman who had been standing still next to me for a few moments. Ever since I told her about Donna's insight, he had been speechless, unusual even for a brooding Bat.

Was he angry with me? I admitted that my concerns were childish. I mean, for Gaea's sake, it was in the _past_. Batman and Catwoman got married and had a baby girl... who later grew up to be the Huntress...but it happened in the past. Not to mention, in another _universe_. It wouldn't happen again – we already had a Huntress here in Gotham.

But...what if they eventually would get married (again)? Then had a baby girl, Helena Wayne. Then this Helena would take over the mantle of the original (at least post-crisis) Huntress, Helena Bertinelli... My head suddenly was spinning; I needed to sit down.

So I sat down, pretending to scan the vicinity of the crowds below. It was past 11 p.m. from the giant clock of Gotham City Hall that struck a few minutes earlier, and it was Friday night. People were going out to the movies, to cafes, listening to jazz and retro music at the clubs, and many other things. Tonight was a clear night, with a crescent moon above. I saw several young couples, the same age as Bruce and I, strolling the lane below, holding hands, some of them kissing... I frowned. I feared I might not kiss Bruce for a while. Worse, forever, perhaps...

Nothing happened below, or to the brooding guy next to me. I silently prayed that at any moment, Barbara Gordon, the Oracle, would speak into our commlinks, telling us of a robbery or disaster we need to attend to. Then I wouldn't have to remain silent like this. It was... uncomfortable.

I was about to open my mouth, suggesting that we should move to a place other than Wayne Tower, when Bruce spoke at last.

"How close are you to Kent?" It was Batman's voice.

"Huh? Oh...Kal?" I frowned. Our personal conversations rarely had anything to do with Clark Kent, the Superman, whom I usually called Kal. Unless, he was mocking my friendship with Kal, who – quoting Lois Lane, Superman's wife – according to 'half the world', was supposed to be my eternal soulmate. I wish I could yell at them all, telling them the truth, the way I told Lois a few years ago. "What does he have to do with us?"

"Look," he turned to face me. "I wasn't trying to scorn you two. I just want to talk."

"Last time I remember, we were supposed to talk about Selina and you, not Kal and me," I faced him as well. I prayed to Athena that this wouldn't be the night we fought and end everything that was beautiful.

"I will explain later. Just answer the question, Diana," I could feel the Batman looking at me through his white lenses. Then he pushed his cowl off, revealing a very concerned face. "Please."

I looked him in the eye. He was serious. I couldn't detect any deception in his eyes. Letting go a heavy breath, I answered. "Friends. Kal and I are friends. Good friends."

"How good?"

"I..." I hesitated for a while, then decided to tell the truth. "The best of friends..."

"So, you consider him a better friend than me?" His eyes showed no hurt, his voice was steady.

"I haven't finished, Bruce," I stepped forward. "He was my best friend until I knew you better. Now, both of you are my best friends. Don't ask me to tell you which one is really the best, because I won't be able to determine that. I can only say that although he does have this cheerful and understanding attitude you lack –" at this, Bruce smirked for half a second, "...but you actually truly understand me and know instinctively how to handle me, the way Kal doesn't." I stopped, then added hastily, "I didn't mean _those things_... though that counts, too."

That made him smile. Briefly, but long enough to melt the ice between us.

"If things were different between us, between Clark and Lois...would you choose him over me?" This time, for a millisecond, there was fear in his voice. A fear too subtle for ordinary friends to detect, but I wouldn't miss it for the world.

I smiled. "The first time he kissed me...was a wonderful moment for a naive girl fresh from Themyscira. But at the same time, the kiss also shattered my dreams and fantasies about him. In that instant, I knew that he wasn't the one I actually wanted to live with. Friends, yes. Best of friends, of course. But not soulmates. I can see clearly why Kal would always choose Lois instead of me, and I duly understand that."

Bruce nodded. The kiss between Kal and me wasn't something he didn't know of. I had told him about my previous love affairs (Kal, Trevor Barnes, and... uh... who else... himself, the Batman – although only in my wildest dreams...) during the first days of our relationship. Glancing at him, I understood that he was about to say something. So I waited.

"Selina and I now...are more or less like Clark and you," he finally spoke again.

"Now? More or less?"

Batman walked a few paces towards the edge of the building, his hand resting on a gargoyle's head.

"I will not deny that she's one of the most important people in my life. If she needs my help, I would not hesitate to help her, as long as it's within my power to do so."

He turned to have a glance at me. "But she's not you."

I remained silent, trying to absorb his words. He returned his attention to the night space in front of him.

"The way I see it now, a Batman and Catwoman pairing was like a Superman and Wonder Woman pairing. Both couples seem to be matched. Dark and black. Light and white," he continued, his voice trailing off by the wind.

Though we never talked about it, it was true that I'd heard about Batman and Catwoman from the superhero grapevine, just the same way they gossiped about Superman and me. I'd even used to accepted the idea that Bruce had actually gone out with Selina, as their attitudes (and attire) were almost the same. Heh, mirror image, perhaps. Almost identical. Then of course, my sister Donna among others, used to feed and confirm the gossip. By then, both of us didn't know that a tiny bud called 'love' had started to grow dangerously in my heart.

I bit my lips. "You love her?" My voice betrayed my jealous heart.

"We used to share...the flame. But I believe, now it's the way you love Clark. Although differently as well," Batman touched his own neck, as if suddenly felt tired. "More because of her own manner, I must say."

"I heard that Catwoman is ... a hard woman to go with," I hesitated, not wanting to sound so harsh on his ex.

"She still is." There was a hint of amusement in Bruce's voice, and – Hera help me – admiration.

Trying to keep my jealously at bay, I offered this, "I myself am considered a hard woman to get along with." It was true. My royal title (though I'd abdicated), my physical appearance and my ambassadorial work sadly often put me on a high pedestal. People frequently thought of me as a perfect superwoman who could not be related to.

"Once they know you, they wouldn't keep that opinion for long," Bruce replied matter-of-factly. It was true that on many occasions I had managed to make friends with people who used to hate me.

"I bet once they know Catwoman, they would change their opinion too," I tried to balance his compliment, though another voice in my head yelled at me. _Stop being the Angel of Mercy! It's his ex we're talking about!_

Still looking at the crowds below, Batman shook his head. "Selina has a different attitude. I admit that you both are stubborn, Diana. But you are willing to listen to other people's opinions, and change your course mid-way if you think that the input is right. Selina is not like that. She would follow her own path, created by her past to protect her future, without caring what other people think of her."

"And yet, that very trait is exactly something that drew you to her." If I could, I would kick my jealousy to fall thirty stories below. Sadly, it hung defiantly at the edge of my heart.

"Yes," Bruce turned to face me, his lips formed a rueful smile. "But the combination of your persistence and willingness to listen is one of the true magnets that drew me to you."

Suddenly, I blushed. Thankful that this time I had the new mask covering my face, I launched another 'attack'.

"But you don't deny having a relationship with her in the past."

"Would you deny your friendship with Clark?" _Uh, Batjerk!_

"No. But our relationship never went beyond friendship. Yours, on the other hand, did." Now, how about _that_?

"Yes, Selina and I did," Batman silently approached me. "That was the difference between Selina and I, and Clark and you. My history recorded her romantic involvement in my past life, unlike the way Clark to you."

I understood the implication. "Have you tried... to solve your...issues together?"

"Many times," the sad smile again.

"Why didn't it work?" I whispered, almost to myself.

He didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked at the stars above, their lights were almost inexistent, faded in the glow of Gotham.

"Diana, what do you think would happen if Clark and you are together? Say... stranded in another dimension for a year, waiting for us to rescue you?"

I pursed my lips. Another BatQuiz. "It happened once, you know. Kal and me, during the thousand years war of Asgard. If it happened again, I would be relieved that a friend like him was on my side. At least at first. Then I... I suppose I might get bored. As nice as Kal is, I would feel something is amiss. That something is missing."

Bruce nodded. "That was what I felt. Something was missing."

He walked away from me, folding his hands and standing still, looking across his 'kingdom'.

"My relationship with Selina– as you would've heard – looked like it was made from heaven. Or hell, more likely. Both of us had terrible childhoods. Did you know that her mother was an addict and died a gruesome death? Her father died over dosage shortly afterwards. Then Selina and her sister Maggie lived in an abusive orphanage for a while. That's when she decided the streets were a better environment for her."

_Uh, no._ I shook my head in surprise.

"Well, the good news is that, after a long winding road, she survived. She learned martial arts to protect herself and her...kind. As she was very poor, she became a thief to satisfy her need for the beautiful things she missed in her childhood. Also to provide a better life for her close friends. After a few years of being a quasi villainess, she finally crossed the line a little to become a quasi heroine."

I frowned. "Doesn't sound so different to me."

He continued. "The difference is the intention. Now, Selina's motive is not only helping herself, but also her people. Her little East End town. She became a quasi heroine, as she became a good protector of East End. But she still occasionally steals from bad guys, to give it later to the ones in dire need."

"Like Robin Hood?"

"If you say so. Although this Robin Hood also takes pleasure in donning the jewellery she steals herself, occasionally."

Now, I found my interest increased. "What happened to her sister?" To think of at least three sisters of mine; Donna, Cassie, and Kara. Oh, and dear Nessie, of course.

"They got separated when they were in the orphanage. She met her again much later on. Maggie had joined a convent, but to make a long story short, she got out and got married."

"A happy ending then." I didn't think I could hear more sad stories about Selina Kyle.

Surreptitiously he shook his head. "Not for Maggie."

I arched my eyebrows, requesting further details.

"During her career as a thief, Selina also collected several enemies. After her reform, some of her enemies remained. One of them was the Black Mask."

"That freak?" I knew the Black Mask was Batman's old enemy. I'd heard scary stories about this villain, enough to make children not want to sleep at all.

Batman looked away. "This 'freak' managed to track Selina and her friends, including Maggie, her sister. One night he kidnapped her and her husband. He..." The Dark Knight halted, hesitated to continue.

"Bruce..." I was suddenly alarmed. "If it hurts you too bad, don't tell."

He looked at me again. "It did hurt. But you need to know, Diana."

I waited.

"It's important for me that you know the larger story of the Catwoman, rather than a mere thief, or whatever you heard of her."

I nodded. "If you wish, tell me then."

"The Black Mask...ruthlessly killed Maggie's husband in front of her, and forced her to..." he swallowed. "...eat her husband's body part."

All the sudden, I felt I was losing blood. "He...what?" I managed to whisper.

"Catwoman... arrived too late. Maggie was at the brink of insanity, her husband had died, and the Black Mask had destroyed Selina's youth center in East End. She..." He hesitated again for a second, then resolved himself. "She fought the Black Mask, and in her attempt, he was pushed down the railway, right at the trajectory of a moving train."

I remained agape for a while. "She... killed him?"

He went into silent mode for a while. Then he continued, his voice seemed far away. "I wasn't sure that it wasn't her intention. But she was in a fight –"

I interrupted him. "Bruce, don't get me wrong. I _don't_ blame her."

He stared at me. "You don't?" Then he exhaled. "_Of course_ you don't..."

I nodded. "Of course I don't, Bruce. It was a battle situation. As Wonder Woman, I have killed many monsters before. To me, Black Mask equaled a monster to be eradicated. For the sake of the innocents."

Batman studied me carefully. "You understand that you and I –"

" – have different opinions about that matter. Yes. We've talked about it many times, including in Japan. And we've respectfully agreed not to agree."

Suddenly, his lips moved to form a smirk. "Apparently, you understand her as well."

I looked at his blue eyes intently. "I don't judge, Batman."

He tilted his head slightly. "I know."

"What happened to Maggie, then?"

"She..." He clenched his jaws, trying to control his emotion. "...Selina took her to a mental institution. Maggie has been there for quite a while now."

Didn't quite know what to say, I remained silent for a while. "What a strong woman she is..." I finally acknowledged.

He nodded. "A very strong one."

I studied my black boots, thinking.

"You approve of her 'Robin Hood' style?"

"I don't condone her actions, but I understand her motives. I have many more things to do than taking care of a reformed thief like her, who sometimes actually does that out of boredom now."

"So..." I tried to redirect the conversation back to Selina. "...was that the missing link? The jewellery she didn't give you?"

He smirked. "Hardly." Then he turned to face me again, looking me straight in the eye.

"I missed the _Light_," he finally admitted. "My adventures with Catwoman, I really must confess, were very intriguing. Exciting. Interesting. But not enlightening. When I was with her, I did feel excitement. And admiration, of an ordinary woman who had nothing but darkness from her past, struggling to survive and live on her own. A very strong trait I respect. But at the same time, I also felt that I was slowly but surely being dragged deeper into my darkness. Soon, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to even _feel_ the light."

"You've been listening to Alfred, haven't you?" I said, trying to lighten the mood. "But you know Bruce... the more I think of it, the more I realize that you yourself have served as a light for Gotham. It's true that you work in the darkness, literally and psychologically, but your presence is the light in this city. One of the very few."

Bruce curved his mouth in an attempt to smile.

"It's not nearly enough, Diana..." His deep blue eyes searched into mine. "Alfred just voiced my deepest awareness, the awareness I always suppressed. Deep in my heart, I knew I had to look for more light. I wouldn't have to change my identity as the Batman. I just had to find the light to guide me, to give me hope." He paused, then continued.

"Selina didn't give me the hope I needed. It wasn't her fault. There was a deep hole inside her that she thought I could fill." He looked at my funny expression.

"Not _that _hole, Diana."

I grinned. "Sorry. Go on." To think that I should be jealous of Selina, but I found Bruce's statement amusing as well...

He looked at me with a calmer expression and continued.

"I thought that Selina could ease my sorrow and make me complete. But I was wrong. _We_ were wrong. We were too similar; we dragged each other deeper down rather than up to the light. In the end, we just realized that it wouldn't work out. I wasn't the perfect man for her. We're still good friends now. I admit, she calls now and then to ask a favor or two. But...I realize also that she needed someone older than me, more mature than me, to meet her need for affection. And I..."

Suddenly I shivered. Bruce was looking at me, giving me his special Bruce gaze, the one he only reserved for me. Not a playboy stare. A deep concerned gaze that always managed to melt my heart right away.

"...along my journey to find the light... I got to know you better," he continued, smiling slightly when he noticed I was shivering. "And although I tried so hard to deny your presence, your light stubbornly penetrated my closed heart. Until I am but a man in love with you."

I blinked several times, trying hard not to cry. "I..." I lost my voice. "...I... thank you... Bruce..."

He smiled knowingly. "Earth Two Batman and Catwoman might have gotten married and had a daughter. But in this earth, I choose my own Princess."

I chuckled, blinking several times to hold back the tears.

"I'm not a princess anymore," I protested lamely.

"To me, you are always a princess."

I sniffled, then smiled. He smiled back at me.

"Now, if you are feeling better now –" I nodded, "- would you care to explain whom _you_ married in Earth One, Two and whatever?"

I laughed. Donna had told me about this, but I had never thought that he would ask. I remained silent for a while.

"Diana?" He tilted his handsome face. "Tell me?"

I grinned. "Oh well... nothing to know about..." He gave me his Batglare. "Okay – okay! I married Steve Trevor, okay?"

He almost choked up. "Steve Trevor? My God, Diana, Trevor Barnes I can understand. But Steve Trevor? He's –"

"Too old? Married to Etta Candy?"

"Precisely!"

"Well-well-well, Mr. Wayne!" I folded my hands, glaring. "For your information, Steve Trevor of Earths One and Two are dashing young pilots – single – who would melt the hearts of any women right away!"

"Including certain Wonder Women," he snorted.

"The way certain Catwomen fell in love with you," I riposted.

He gave the Wayne's patented playboy leer before pushing his cowl back and transformed into the Batman once more. "So, you still want to help your Mexican friend?"

I nodded.

"You have to find and talk to Selina. She's the best person to ask in the East End."

"I was thinking of doing that tomorrow."

"Do that tonight. Easier to find her during the night."

"Just like you, eh? How do I find her?"

"How do you usually find me? Without commlinks?"

I grinned. "I think I know how."

He nodded, then pushed his commlink abruptly.

_Batman? Wonder Woman?_ The voice of Oracle was also transmitted clearly in my commlink. Just in time.

"Uh, hi Oracle. It's Diana tonight."

_Confirmed, D. You guys ready for action? There's a robbery in Diggory St., a few blocks from your current position_.

"I know where it is, Oracle," I replied. "I know a very nice gelato place in Diggory St."

"Gelato place?" mouthed Batman in disbelief.

I shrugged in a 'why – I can't eat gelato?' way.

_Er...yeah...I remember the gelatissimo._ I caught a hint of amusement in Barbara's voice.

"We'll be there soon." I took out my grapple gun and readied to fire. Batman nodded. I would go to East End after this robbery. After all, my first patrol as Diana, the Gotham's hunter, should start in Gotham's heart.

By the time Batman fired his grapple gun, I already swung myself across the night space of Gotham.

xxx

_Author's Note: Superman and Wonder Woman's adventure in Asgard was told in Action Comics #761. Superman kissing Wonder Woman was depicted in Action Comics #600. Batman and Catwoman's relationship was depicted...well...almost everywhere, especially in this Infinite Crisis era. But not nearly enough to sway my belief in Bruce and Diana, with respect to the smart and strong-headed Selina Kyle whom we will meet in the next chapter._


	5. The City of Cats

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: Diana is troubled by Bruce's past life. And I mean past life, really. Chapter 5: Diana finally goes to East End to meet the Catwoman. Will Selina Kyle give her trouble, or help?_

_Special thanks to Athena Phoenix for the great beta and for all readers for their precious feedback. No continuity with the current DC installments. Screw DC's Infinite Crisis! All characters (except for Cindy, Joe, and Doc) belong to the DC Comics, and trust me, I make no money out of this._

**Chapter 5. The City of Cats**

As a big city that came to life at night, Gotham offered many nocturnal entertainments. For those who were interested in culture, Gotham City Opera House held regular operas, plays, and other art performances. For those who preferred the culinary arts, various cafés scattered in Gotham's finest districts guaranteed some of the best salads, pasta, cappuccino, hot cocoa, and desserts in the East Coast.

For those 'gentlemen' who opted for wilder and more sensuous activities...several places in Gotham's uptown regions catered to their interest in "indoor sports". And for those not wealthy enough for the uptown pleasure palaces, the East End district was there to meet their needs, as it had been since the earliest days of the city.

In Gotham, East End's notorious image could only be rivaled by Crime Alley, a small shabby neighborhood that was best avoided when one tried to explore Gotham. Or, if out of bad luck people had to visit the place, they had better pray for the Batman to save the day. Because there, Gotham's own Guardian Angel was their only hope.

But not in East End. Not that the Batman didn't care about what happened in the shabbiest district in Gotham. He just had too much on his plate to be concerned for East End's regular inhabitants; the night butterflies. Although the Caped Crusader cared for all Gotham citizens, the alley town girls in East End were not one of his top priorities.

So far, the girls had tried to survive on their own. Sometimes they succeeded, but most often, they failed. Some said that a certain legend named Catwoman had claimed East End as her territory, threatening any men who dared to abuse the night girls. Sometimes she succeeded. Sometimes she failed.

Cindy was one of the probable failure cases tonight. She had been warned not to take more than one guy per 'session', or if she insisted, she should ask one of her friends to go with her. True, the money would be less. But she would also be safer than if she were alone.

But she needed the money badly. She had to pay the rent tomorrow morning, if not, she would be kicked out and homeless. Many worse things could happen to you if you were homeless in East End. She also needed to send money to her nana, old and fragile, the only living family she knew, now residing in a wrecked retirement house in Gotham. So, when the two boys approached her, cool and dashing as they were, she couldn't resist. Even when her friend Angel had warned her.

"D'ja remember what Holly said? We ain't gonna trust two or more guys. They'll do bad to ya." Angel had whispered to her then.

She had rejected the warning. "Screw Holly. And you're just jealous!" was what she had told Angel. True, she was prettier than Angel, though one would have expected a girl named 'Angel' would be like an angel.

So, she left her friend alone in the cold night, riding the car with those two charming boys.

Now, she regretted her decision. Trying to remain conscious, she had dropped her purse. The two handsome boys didn't only refuse to pay her afterwards, they even tried to take her money away. When she said no, one of them punched her hard in the jaw, slamming her into the filthy wall of the alley where they were now. When she tried to protect her purse, the other guy kicked her tummy so hard that she couldn't even scream.

And now, the first guy grabbed her purse, took her last twenty bucks, and grinned wickedly. "That was fun," he said mockingly. Then he saw her bracelet. Her precious gold bracelet, which had belonged to her nana. He flashed a cruel smile and took her only precious jewellery (her earrings and necklace were cheap accessories; she bought them for only fifteen bucks).

"Joe...man! That'll sell for fifty!" the second guy commented as he saw the bracelet.

"Nah...This? A hundred!" Joe rubbed the jewellery on his blue jeans. "Yup, definitely a hundred, Doc."

"Now, that'll make it even." Then Doc cast a disdainful glance at Cindy. "Thought you girls made more money than twenty. What a waste!"

Cindy felt her eyes hot with tears. "Please...don't take the bracelet away...It's my nana's..."

"'It's my nana's!' You think I believe you? No girls like you have rich nanas!" Doc snorted, then laughed together with Joe.

Instead of fear, now she felt anger. "It's hers, dammit! Take all my money! But don'tcha dare touch my nana's bracelet!" She tried to stand up, but failed as the other guy slapped her hard.

She tried still. "You bastards! I thought you're nice. I thought you're decent! I don't mind you taking my money, but don't take nana's bracelet!" Then she spat in Joe's face.

Joe's face went red. He raised his fist to strike Cindy, who had closed her eyes desperately. "You –"

And no one knew what Joe would say, as he choked suddenly. A leather whip had just strangled his neck, jolting his head and body backwards, away from Cindy. Then a punch shattered his left jaw. Another kick in between his legs made him bend his body in two. Surprised, he even forgot to curse when he opened his eyes to see his attacker - a slender woman clad in black leather from head to toe.

She wore a cowl that completely covered her head. He managed to register a pair of angry eyes flaring at him behind green goggles, before another blow knocked out one of his teeth. Then he cursed.

"You bitch! Who dared to punch me!"

"You should be grateful I haven't broken all your teeth," the woman hissed, pulling her whip tighter to make it harder for him to breathe. Then she punched his face harder. "Or should I break your neck, instead?"

Once she heard (but didn't feel) the punches, Cindy had opened her eyes. Now she saw the woman take away the purse and bracelet from the slouching Joe, and walk towards her.

"You! Stay!" the woman barked to Doc, who was standing in awe watching the lady in black incapacitate his friend. She then turned her attention to Cindy. "Here."

"T...t..thanks..." she stammered, taking her belongings, her hands shaking helplessly.

"You don't look okay." She kneeled down to check on Cindy.

"Well... yeah..." Cindy coughed and spat blood.

The woman's eyes widened in anger. Suddenly, she turned and stood, walking slowly towards Doc. In one pull, she released her whip from Joe's neck (who screamed again as the whip cut his skin), and now held her weapon in front of her, eyes flashing in rage. If she could emanate heat vision, Doc would be incinerated by now.

But this woman wasn't a Supergirl. So, she choked Doc's neck instead with her whip and hissed dangerously.

"If she wants to have fun with you..." she landed a hard blow to Doc's stomach. "...It's up to her!" Then she punched Doc so hard, the guy literally flew and slammed to the wall.

Not satisfied, the woman continued with another series of kick and punch. "But! You! Have! To! Pay!" Doc's body went sliding down, limp.

She tried to control her anger. "Not. Rob. Or. Beat...her..."

"Miss..." Cindy tried to speak.

As if awakened from a trance, the woman turned to Cindy. "How are you?"

Wiping the blood on her face, Cindy tried to smile. "Better. But...he ran away..." she raised her hand to the empty spot where Joe was.

The green goggles flashed again. "Shit." Then she smirked. "Don't worry. He's not running for long. You, stay here. I'll be back."

Afterward, she ran towards the alley's entrance. _That bastard shouldn't be far. Damnit, Selina! Why didn't you make sure he's really off!_

Then she heard a punch in the entrance, and a weak groan. She frowned. _Someone's helping me tonight?_

She screeched stop in front of the dark alley, to find Joe slumped again, for a longer period this time, at the hand of another figure in dark clothes with cape and a pointy mask. _Surprise, surprise! I thought these heroes weren't interested in East End._

"Thanks, Huntress. But I can take care of him myself."

"You're welcome." The dark figure stepped into a dim light. "But I'm not the Huntress."

Her eyes widened to see an unfamiliar woman clad in dark costume.

"Catwoman, I need your help."

It wasn't the Huntress, all right. It was someone else. Someone who was also tall with dark hair...someone she felt she had met before.

xxx

Catwoman, a.k.a Selina Kyle just watched me in silence as I explained that I needed to find a girl. The sister of a friend, actually. She swept an askance glance at me from head to toe, and ignoring my brief introduction, cut into the real question.

"Do I know you?" she asked, her eyebrow arched behind the goggles.

"I'm a friend." I smiled, but she didn't bother to return it.

"That's not enough."

"Okay. I'm Diana." I gave her my hand, but she remained still.

"That's a codename?"

I grinned. It was a bad codename, indeed...because it wasn't. "No. It's my name." I lowered my hand again. Obviously, Selina wasn't in a friendly mood tonight.

She snorted. "Anything with the Batclan?"

"Just started the first patrol tonight."

"Batman approved?"

"I..." I had planned to tell her that it was him who designed my costume, but somehow I thought that it wasn't wise. "He didn't object."

"I've met you before." That was not a question.

"I believe so, several times."

She stepped forward, her eyes squinted. "Who _are_ you?"

I had to do that, reveal the truth to her. It wasn't my intention to hide my identity from partners, anyway. And despite everything, I considered the Catwoman a partner.

So, I pulled my mask off. Her emerald eyes widened in recognition.

"Wonder Woman..." she hissed.

"Please, it's Diana. And I need your help."

A blank screen suddenly fell upon her face. "I don't remember you having any business here."

"I would explain everything. But don't you think it's better for us to take the girl to the hospital first? And take the guys to the police?"

She snorted. "The police! Really! Like they care anyway."

So, we left the boys in the alley. Catwoman laid several more kicks just to make sure they didn't wake up soon. I didn't stop her. East End wasn't my territory. Afterwards, she told the semi-conscious Cindy to cling on her and started to swing away with the aid of her whip (later I would learn that it was called the 'cat-o-nine tails'). It was amazing to see such a petite body carry another girl, who was slightly larger – though still considered slim – than her. I offered to fly Cindy, but she refused with another hiss.

So, behaving as a polite guest, I tailed the World's Greatest Thief across the darkened East End. I had opted to use my grapple gun to swing from one building to another, as I was determined to practice the skill when wearing this bat costume. Several times, I caught her looking at me for a brief moment, only to ignore me again.

xxx

Now, I'd been idly standing in the corner of this clinic for almost half an hour. I knew this clinic belonged to a Dr. Leslie Thompkins. A very nice elderly lady who dedicated her life to serving and curing the more unfortunate ones, including prostitutes. That included Cindy, the girl Catwoman just brought in for Dr. Thompkins to examine.

Catwoman still ignored me in the clinic. She hadn't even introduced me to Dr. Thompkins, who was too busy taking care of Cindy's wounds to notice my presence. And they didn't ask for my help. So I had been studying the clinic instead, admiring the work of a very rare physician, who had chosen to live a simple life and help the ones in need, instead of gaining dollars from the richer citizens of Gotham. Not unlike Dr. Thomas Wayne, Bruce's deceased father.

I found myself watching Dr. Thompkins wipe the sweat off her forehead, then remove her gloves, while casting a reassuring smile towards Selina. Not unlike a mother to her daughter.

"She will be fine, dear. Don't you worry." She walked to the sink to wash her hands.

"No permanent injuries?" Selina's emerald eyes sparkled in concern. She had taken off her goggles earlier once Cindy felt asleep under the sedative.

The doctor dried her hands using a piece of towel. "Trust me, Selina. Cindy will be 'on duty' again tomorrow night if she wants. Though –" she turned to the girl lying in the hospital bed, sleeping. " – it is truly better for her to skip one or two nights. Or...forever."

"Really, Leslie. You know it doesn't work that way."

Leslie sighed. "Yes...well...I know that..." Then she looked at me, as I stood there, fidgeting, shifting my weight from my left foot to my right foot and back to my left foot for a while. "And you're not the Huntress or the new Batgirl, I presume?"

I smiled. "No. I..." I knew that after his parents' death, Leslie Thompkins had become Bruce's legal representative. We hadn't met before, but Bruce had told me a lot of her kindness; it had made me really want to see her. I didn't expect to see her tonight though, in this costume.

"I'm Diana." I extended my hand. She shook it firmly, but compassionately.

"I've heard that name before," she said, not unkindly. "But perhaps I'm mistaken." Tucking a lock of her silver hair behind her ear, she scrutinized my black costume.

Smiling, I pulled off my mask. The purpose of the mask was to scare the villains anyway. I didn't see any reasons why I couldn't let Leslie see my face.

Similar to Selina, Leslie's eyes widened for a while. But, unlike Selina, Leslie then smiled knowingly. Behind her glasses, her bluish eyes emanated a warm welcome.

"Ah. _This_ Diana. For a while, I thought Alfred was bluffing to me." So Alfred Pennyworth had talked to Leslie about me. Somehow, it warmed my heart to know that, only to cool again once I caught the way Selina was looking at me.

"It was very nice to finally meet you, Dr. Thompkins. I've heard so much about your good works."

"The pleasure was mine, Diana." She gazed at me the way Julia Kapatelis and my mother did. Suddenly, I missed my mother.

"Ahem." We both turned to Selina, who had put on her goggles again. "We have to go."

"Cindy?" I asked.

"She's staying here. Right, Leslie?"

"Of course, dear. I will take care of her. Where are you going?"

Catwoman looked at me, then shrugged. "She has something to do tonight."

"I asked her to help me," I explained to Leslie. I wanted to linger on and talk to Bruce's foster parent, but Selina was tapping her boot impatiently.

"I have to go, Dr. Thompkins." I put my mask back on. "It was very nice to meet you."

"It's Leslie, dear." She beamed that radiant smile again, making me feeling safe and sound. "Come here anytime if you want."

"Thank you, Leslie. I will surely visit you sometime. See you later."

"Bye, Leslie. Thanks a lot, really."

Then we left the clinic. It was already past 1 a.m., and no one was in the clinic but us. I had been afraid to awaken such an elderly lady, but apparently Leslie was used to nocturnal disturbances. I followed Catwoman, who had entered the alley next to the clinic. I expected her to toss her whip at the lamppost, ready to swing herself. Instead, she stood still, looking at the dim stars above.

"So, what's the deal?"

"There's a Mexican girl who migrated to the States a few years back. Apparently, Inez, the girl, works as a prostitute in East End now, but is not very happy with her job. Maria, that's her sister in Mexico City, has asked me to help tracking down Inez and bring her home."

"No." She turned to look at me. It was dark in the alley, but I still saw the strange glimmer of her emerald eyes behind the goggles. "What's the deal with Bruce?"

I had expected her to ask about it, but not this soon. "I'm...helping him with the patrol in Gotham. Not as Wonder Woman. Just as Diana, the Gotham Hunter."

"And other than that?"

I arched my eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

She cast a look on me, then turned away. "So, the rumor was right." It was a whisper to herself.

If anyone said to me that telling your boyfriend's ex that he and you went out together was fun, I would deny the statement. I didn't enjoy telling Selina this. Perhaps because I wouldn't enjoy myself if she told me that she and Bruce were an item now. So, I just remained silent.

Catwoman closed her eyes. "Why do you have to wear that costume..."

"It doesn't change my identity. I just do that to scare the villains. The way Wonder Woman couldn't do, because of how people see her."

"That's a silly thing you know, to use your own name."

"Surely, as 'Selina' is derived from Greek mythology, you would know that Diana also means the Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon." In Greek culture, Selina was one of the pre-Olympian Goddess of the Moon. Together with Artemis (or Diana in the Roman culture) and Hecate, they embodied the Moon Trinity.

She opened her eyes, looking at me. "I'm well versed with the origin of my name, Wonder Woman. Still, I wouldn't use my name for a code."

I shrugged. "We have different reasons. And that's not even important compared to my mission of saving this girl."

"Your mission! Really!" She snorted. "I thought your mission is to speak in every boring U.N. meeting and preach the peace?"

"My foundation recruited Maria when she was a prostitute in Mexico City. She quit her old life on her own and joined us. And though she's much better now, she is still worried about her sister. And helping any woman to find happiness is also my mission."

"You realize that the girl, Inez made her own decision?"

I nodded. "But then she regretted it. That was enough to encourage me to help her. Plus, her sister asked me for that. Do you think I could just say no?"

Catwoman looked at me in the eye. I had thought that she would attack and curse me for taking her ex. But instead, we were debating about something much deeper. We were debating choices.

"Catwoman, _her sister_ asked me. I couldn't possibly reject her request."

She looked away, suddenly seeming melancholic. Gaea, I forgot... Maggie, _her sister_...

"You have a sister, don't you?" I whispered.

Barely perceptibly, she nodded.

"Then, you would understand this."

She looked at me again. "I can't help you –" my heart sank. " – alone. We need help."

With that, she tossed her cat-o-nine tails and swung away into the night. I smirked, fired my grapple gun, and followed suit.

xxx

Holly 'Go-Nightly' Robinson stirred in her sleep. She had dreamt the most peculiar dream of a cat and an eagle. The two animals weren't fighting though; they were talking as if they were building bridges. She groaned, opened her heavy eyes, and frowned to see a cat figure leaning over her. _I don't have cats._

"Hi, kiddo."

She almost succumbed to her sleep again when a light switched on her brain. She snapped her eyes open this time, glaring in the dark at the slender figure of the Catwoman.

"Sel! What are you doing here?" Judging from past experience, Selina coming to her at night did not mean good news.

"Relax, kid! Relax... There's no fire." Her friend's sensuous voice calmed her. If Selina was able to talk that way, and not in curt replies, it meant that there was no problem at all. Or at least, nothing they couldn't handle. "Where's Karon?" Karon was Holly's girlfriend.

"Visiting a friend in Metropolis," Holly muttered sleepily. She sat up on her bed, scratched her mussed reddish hair, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and stared at her old friend. Holly had known Selina since she was thirteen years old, when the brash girl had saved her from a corrupt cop in East End. Ever since, they had practically grown up together, through bitter and happier times in their lives. Holly Go-Nightly would do anything in her power to help Selina Kyle.

She yawned, rested her elbows on her knees, then looked at her friend. "What's up?"

Selina stepped aside, as if making way for Holly to see the rest of the room. And Holly did, without difficulty, notice another figure clad in dark clothes standing still by the window, illuminated by the city lights outside. The cape was swirling silently behind the newcomer. She noted the mask with two sharp ears, but the figure was too slim for it to be the Batman.

"She needs your help," Selina didn't even try to introduce the other person. _At least it's a she. Definitely not the Batman. _Holly didn't have any issues with Batman, of course. She would support Selina if her relationship with Batman made her friend happy. But actually she preferred Sel with Slam Bradley, the rugged but mature private investigator, than the mysterious Batman who always came and went as he pleased. Well, at least used to. Sel hadn't talked about the Bat for a while.

"Mind if I...?" the figure approached the lamp stand then turned the light on. The little room brightened slightly. Their guest had politely kept the light dim, as if knowing that the others – at least Selina – preferred darkness.

"I prefer to introduce myself properly in the light," she explained.

Well, well, well... definitely not Batman's clan. They have this strange habit of not speaking a lot. And of always working in the dark.

Selina always said that observation was important in their work, so Holly studied her guest carefully. In the dark, her silhouette resembled the image of the Batclan. Dark costume, usual large cape, and typical mask. But in the brighter room, it was clear that she had opted for a more exotic design of her skirt and bustier. _Umm...Roman? Greek?_ Holly remembered the scenes in the movie _Gladiator_ and the _Xena_ shows, and realized that her guest was wearing a mixture of Greek armor and elements of the bat. Or was it an eagle?

"Who are you?" Holly couldn't resist asking. "You're not the Huntress, or Batgirl."

"No..." she smiled and gestured to shake hands. "I'm Diana."

"Whuh?" Holly just stared blankly at the gloved hand. She noticed now a large silver gauntlet in her guest's wrist. "That's a code name?" She finally took the offered hand, shaking it out of courtesy.

She found that her guest was smiling, and even Selina smirked for a while.

"No... I admit it's a bad code name," her guest replied after a while. "It is my name."

Holly tilted her head. "You know, it's a rule for costumed girls not to reveal your true ID to anyone?"

A shy smile. "Yes...I know that. I plan not to introduce myself to anyone during this work, but I made the exception for tonight."

"Plan? You're a newcomer, huh?"

"You might say so."

Holly looked alternately at Diana and Selina, then sighed. "Okay. Give it a shot. What do you want?"

Diana produced a photograph from her utility belt. "I need to find this girl."

"She owes you a hundred bucks and ran away?" Holly studied the picture, then pursed her lips. "She didn't come here, obviously. I never saw her."

"No, I know you wouldn't," Selina interrupted this time. She had lifted off her green goggles, revealing a pair of shiny emerald eyes. "But you will be able to help her find that girl."

"Inez Fernandez doesn't owe me anything." Diana offered the next explanation. "I am the one who owed her sister. I promised her to find her and bring her back to Mexico."

"She's Mexican?" Holly turned the picture, but found no further information behind.

"Went to the States a few years back, then she was MIA. She visited Gotham for a while, though. The last known place for her was East End."

"What does she do?" Holly studied the copper-haired girl.

"My best guess; she's a prostitute now."

Holly squinted. "That shouldn't be too hard to find. But I need to do some research first."

"She might have changed her appearance," Selina spoke this time. "Might be harder to find her."

"Try Ibanescu's thugs?" Holly was referring to Draco Ibanescu, the slimy Romanian boss that had tortured many prostitutes of Eastern European origin.

"They all went to jail, remember?" Selina massaged her neck. "Haven't heard of them for months now."

Her friend nodded. "You need the info fast?" she addressed Diana.

"As fast as you can. I'm afraid her 'protector' was unkind to her."

Holly snorted. "Who is?"

"In terms of beating her up," Diana added ruefully. She looked at Holly, then kneeled down to meet the other woman's eyes evenly.

"Holly, it is very important that I find her soon. I know it isn't fair for other trapped prostitutes, but at least this is what I can do for a friend." Her voice was sincere, her azure eyes glowing with concern. "Selina has agreed to help me search the city tonight, but it'll be much better for us if you can also help."

As if bewitched, Holly stared at the mesmerizing azure eyes. Instantly she knew that this woman would fight and die for her friends, the way Selina would.

She nodded. "I'll do that in the morning."

Diana's face beamed up. "Thanks a lot!"

Holly returned the photograph to Diana. "If I find something?"

"Contact me," Selina replied. She put on her goggles again, then gestured to Diana. "We go now?"

Diana nodded. As she did, Holly couldn't help admiring the lush curls of her long raven hair, some hidden by the mask.

"Thanks, Holly. Nice to see you." Under her mask, she flashed one of the most radiant smiles Holly had ever seen.

Then the two women disappeared from the window.

Holly sighed, then slumped herself to bed, eyes closed. _Weird woman. Diana, huh? Can't pick a better code name? Everyone knows that Wonder Woman's name is Diana, too. _

She snapped her eyes open again. _Man...Isn't that..._

She sighed. _Aawww... hell. Selina will tell me later._

xxx

_Author's note:_

_My knowledge of Catwoman and her adventures were based on some intermittent readings of her current issues (by Will Pfeifer), plus some back issues such as 'Catwoman and Wildcat', 'Hush' series, and - most importantly – stories written by Ed Brubaker. Clearly, Brubaker has made Selina a more matured woman, and thus is more interesting to write. Much more energetic than other versions, especially the Catwoman in Hush (IMHO, a horrible description that denied Brubaker's version, with respect to Jeph Loeb)._

_I also used to think that East End is another city completely separated from Gotham City, but apparently it is a gruesome district of Gotham. So, in this story I fixed some wrong details about East End that I depicted in my first fanfic 'Daughters of the Moon'. Oh, the story of Draco Ibanescu was in Catwoman#41-42. Plus, in my universe, the friction between Leslie Thompkins and Bruce never took place. Nor the mind wipe of Selina administered by Zatanna and some old Leaguers (CW#50). So, Selina's maturity was her own choice. Sorry, DC!_


	6. A Talk with the Cat

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: How does it feel to discuss your boyfriend with his ex? Ask Diana, who is now in East End with the Catwoman._

_Special thanks to Athena Phoenix for the great beta and for all readers for their precious feedback. No continuity with the current DC installments. Screw DC's Infinite Crisis! All characters belong to the DC Comics, and trust me, I make no money from this._

**Chapter 6. A Talk with the Cat**

"Does he still snore?"

That question, launched out of the blue by the Catwoman, had caught me off guard. For more than two hours now, Selina and I had been silently surveying a particular corner of East End from the rooftop of a shabby motel. The section we observed was one of the hottest red-light districts in town. Lots of girls scantily clad in suggestive dresses stood or walked sensuously alongside the roads, clearly expecting to capture the attentions of the boys (rich and good looking, preferably), who had started to appear out of nowhere.

I frowned. Even though Selina had previously envied my new costume (and perhaps she still did), it was good that I wasn't wearing my bright traditional Wonder Woman uniform. This dark costume was much better for surveillance. Plus, who knew if one of those slimy guys down there might look up and notice me wearing my traditional outfit? Heh, they might ask how much it was for the night! Not that I cared anyhow. But, still...

Many times now, I'd heard moans and groans of men and women from 'our' motel or several adjacent motels. In times like those, I'd wished I didn't have my sensitive hearing. More than once I'd heard girls screaming, and my first instinct was to run to help them. Catwoman had always stopped me. "They're not in danger," she had said.

"How do you know?" I had asked.

"Because I used to be there."

_Oh, okay. Got it. Learn from the expert._

So, until Selina made any moves, I just stood silently on the rooftop, trying to prevent my cape from billowing everywhere. Until she asked the question.

"Excuse me?" Perhaps my hearing wasn't that accurate tonight.

"Does he still snore? Bruce." Her tone was bored, uninterested. She even didn't look at me when she asked me the question. Instead, she was inspecting the claws on her gloves, as if considering coloring them pink or purple.

"I..." Where would this go? "Well...yes...sometimes. Why?"

"Just checking," she purred. Her voice was sensuous, without any hint of jealousy. Her fingers now played with the tip of her cat-o-nine tails, oh so casually coiled and hooked on her belt (the way I usually carried my lasso).

"He usually snores after making love. And of course, we made love often. So, imagine the torture I had to endure afterwards." But her tone didn't imply torture at all, but rather her wildest fantasies or memories. And she was talking about _my_ boyfriend!

"_We_ make love often." I literally could feel a flicker in my eyes. "But I don't think he typically snores afterward. Usually, he is very peaceful after we have sex. So you can imagine the peace I have afterwards." _Gaea! What did I just say!_

But Selina was unmoved. "Perhaps," she said, lazily, "...it was the position. The techniques... You should check the latest _Cosmo_. Snoring after making love indicates –" she licked her lips "– satisfaction."

I considered replying with "True. But the same article said that _not_ snoring after making love indicates that he truly loves you!"But I bit my lip. It was silly to get trapped in a war of words with the Catwoman. Not that I wouldn't win: I was a diplomat, anyway! But that was so...childish.

So, I tucked a lock of my hair back, and replied calmly. "I've checked it. And I've sent a letter to the editor, saying that the article is not 100 correct. At least, not in _our_ case." Uh, that wasn't childish, was it?

The Catwoman glanced at me from behind her green goggles. Even the night goggles couldn't cover the sparkle of her emerald eyes. "I forgot." Her smug smile. "You're a diplomat. Of course you prefer writing boring letters than doing..._anything else_."

I sighed. It had to stop. "Selina, please. It doesn't have to be this way."

She tilted her head. "What way?"

"Us. Being bitchy with each other."

She opened her mouth to snap, but halted midway.

"I appreciate your help tonight. I really do. And I say this as Diana of Themyscira, not Bruce's girlfriend. But can we stop attacking each other? At least, for the night?"

She cast an askance glance at me for a while, then looked away. "I only agreed to help because this is East End. I don't want a Wonder Woman ruining my territory."

"I understand that. And that's why I thank you. But, if we can't talk about anything nicer, can we at least stop bickering?"

She remained silent for a longer time, busy studying the streets. Two girls were yelling at each other right below us. Finally, she sighed. "It's not easy for me."

"To stop bickering?"

"No." She turned to face me. "With you. Here. It's not easy."

_Gorgon's spit!_ I felt my expression soften. "Look, it's definitely not easy for me, either. Being here, with you. Having to ask your help in East End."

"Why?"

I looked at the petite sensual woman in front of me, and decided to tell the truth.

"Because...you used to be his girlfriend. And everyone in the superhero community thinks of Batman and Catwoman as an item."

Selina gave me a weak smile. "I bet they don't, now."

"Most of them still do, I think. We don't exactly make it public."

"Even as Batman and Wonder Woman?"

"Well...yes. He's not that kind of outgoing person. He won't exactly jump on the podium to sing me _Am I Blue_, out of the blue."

She gave another rueful smile. "You wouldn't know."

I smiled lamely. "Well, yes. I wouldn't know."

She looked away again, this time towards the main city. East End was actually a district in Gotham, but it felt so separated from the joy that still lingered sometimes in wealthier neighborhoods of Gotham.

"He does make it harder, doesn't he?" she said, finally.

I studied her dark figure lit by the light of East End. "Yes. Part of his charm, I guess." The Cat smiled slightly at this. I continued, "But it doesn't mean he doesn't try to make it better."

My patrol partner went silent again. She walked the edge of the building, putting her weight on her right leg, resting her left arm on her left hip. Her silhouette was so sexy and attractive; I suddenly understood what Bruce meant by 'excitement'.

"You know, he truly cares for you. You are one of the most important people in his life." Those words just burst forth. "He said he would do anything in his capacity to make sure that you're okay."

"He said that?" That came out almost as a whisper.

"Yes. And I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous."

She looked at me with surprise. "You, jealous of me? _You_?"

I shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be?"

She shook her head. "You must be joking."

"And why would I joke about that?"

She rolled her eyes. "God, you're a Princess!"

"Ex-Princess."

"You're a _Madame Ambassador_!" She said the last two words with such a flourish, it almost made me smile.

"You're the Protector of East End."

"You're...tall!"

"You're cute."

"You're blessed with a squadron of Gods and Goddesses!"

"Only five Goddesses and one God. And you have survived on your own, all this time. I'm not even sure I would have survived, if I'd been in your shoes."

"You're..." she paused, her shoulders slumping slightly. "...not a thief. You were never a prostitute."

"I took lives before. And I would kill again, if it was necessary to save more lives."

She scrutinized me. "Why am I not surprised?"

I looked away to the crescent moon above. "I'm a peacemaker, Selina. At least, I try to. But on top of that, I'm also a warrior. And I don't retreat from wars." I looked back at her, studying the emerald eyes behind the goggles.

"I've told Bruce about that. It was one of the first things we discussed after we got together. Also afterwards, a few times. Basically, he understands my beliefs about killing, though he does not condone them. He is who he is; I am who I am. Being together does not mean that we give up our ideals. And my beliefs dictate that I would occasionally kill to save more lives."

She looked at me as if she had never seen me before.

"I don't kill out of hatred," I continued. "If I kill, and I rarely do that, I kill because I have to. Not out of vengeance. I forbid myself to take a life when I have hatred inside of me. Killing is never good. But necessary killing can be done if it is based on greater concern for others. And I don't take that lightly."

She blinked, as if remembering something.

I tucked a lock of my hair and resumed, "I would not kill the Joker . I would not ransack Arkham Asylum or the White House to kill Two-face, the Penguin or Lex Luthor when he was still the president. I wouldn't do that."

Slowly, her expression changed into a pensive one. She whispered, "How about…if you don't save your enemy?" She pursed her lips as if to gain strength to continue. "How about if you purposely let your enemy die? Does that count…?"

_Ah. As in the Black Mask._

I looked at her in the eye. "It depends, Selina. Case by case. If I might be so bold…" I folded my hands while considering my next statement. "…in Black Mask's case, I would understand completely."

She gave me that look. The look of a woman haunted by her past.

"He told you, didn't he?"

"Because he didn't want me to misunderstand you."

"What Black Mask did was unforgivable." Her gaze locked on me, her eyes cold, her sensuous stares gone. She clenched her jaw and fists, as if I were the Black Mask, and she was struggling not to kill me. I did not respond.

"I could have killed him that night, Diana!" she hissed. Not a sexy hiss. A hiss full of hatred. "I could have killed him or done anything worse than that. I could! And God, I wanted to!" She closed her eyes, trying to push her memories to the corner of her mind, the way Bruce often did.

She continued, her tone slightly declining. "I could have cut Black Mask into pieces if I wanted to. But that would put me in the same league with him. I despised that idea…that's why I didn't do that."

_You let him do a free fall instead… _Yet, inexplicably, I understood her. In her position, I could not guarantee that I would not take the same – or worse – course of action as hers.

"I understand," I whispered suddenly.

She glanced at me. "You do?"

"I do. Your reaction towards that evil was completely understandable." What else could she have done anyway, after finding that her sister had lost her mind due to her enemy's torture? I even doubted that Lord Ares would be _that_ evil.

She blinked, as if she did not believe that I would choose her side. I was tempted to offer her my hand the way I usually consoled Dinah, Donna, or my other sisters and friends. But perhaps, it might make Selina uncomfortable instead. Hence, I just nodded several times, trying to reassure her that I understood her.

She blinked again, several times this time. She seemed to be trying to suppress her tears. I was about to tell her that it was okay to cry, yet I remembered who I was. Almost a stranger, who happened to date her ex. She might think I was patronizing her instead.

We were in complete silence for a while. She looked at the sky above, to the stars and the hazy crescent moon.

"So...what else did he tell you?"

"About what?"

She bit her lip. I wasn't sure that she didn't realize how attractive she was when she did that. "About...me."

"He told me that you're a strong-headed woman, that you don't care what other people say about you. You always keep going on. He...admires you for your achievement, the way you have succeeded even after a very hard life."

A faint smirk. "You realize you were talking about your boyfriend here?"

I smiled and shrugged. "What else can I do? I would feel the same way if I were him."

She cast a glance at my lasso. "Oh, yeah..." A strand of thought later, "You don't get tired of the constant reflection?"

"About the truth?"

Selina nodded.

"I suppose I could. But...I was raised by my mother to value the truth. Plus... it was kind of a birth gift. Hard to get away from it. And...I get used to always contemplating my own actions and feelings. It's not easy, I can tell you. But without it, I'm blind."

"As a bat?" she teased, but her eyes betrayed her voice.

"Well, bats are blind, but they use echolocation to navigate. I won't say they are 100 blind. They just have different 'truth' detection than human."

Selina looked away to the crescent moon. "It used to be hard for me. Facing the truth, I mean."

"It is never easy," I admitted. "I'm not saying I enjoy it. I'm saying, I force myself to face it. Every day and every moment of my life."

She studied my masked face for several minutes. "God...You're scary, you know?"

I sighed. "Many people think so."

She returned her attention to the street, which was getting busier. Several guys arrived in fancy cars. Some girls approached, and after a few minutes, usually entered the cars and left. A middle-aged guy stayed, though. Perhaps he was a bit broke and was having a hard time bargaining.

"Bruce, the Batman, was one of the best things – one of the few – that happened in my life." The Feline Fatale spoke again, mostly to herself. "He inspired me, from the earliest days of my life on the street, to be a stronger and tougher person than I was. A fighter for my own life."

"You are, indeed." What else could I say?

"Then...he also helped me shaping my life into a better one. With a vision and a mission. Directly and indirectly, he always helped me... to become a better me. He said, he believes that deep inside, I'm actually a good person."

I nodded. The wind blew stronger, making my cape swirl behind me.

Selina faced me again, full determination in her face. "Without him, I doubt that I would have become the way I am now. I owe him a lot. More than you know."

I nodded again. I understood what Bruce meant by 'admiration'. I, too, started to admire this woman.

"And you will do anything in your part to keep him safe." I spoke the sentence I knew she would speak of later.

She smiled and, after a while, spoke again.

"So...you wanna stay here all night, or what?" She unhooked her whip, turning her attention to the street again. To the middle-aged man, I realized later.

"Where are we going, then?"

"I got a friend down there that might be able to help you."

"Another one?"

"Yup. C'mon. I'll introduce you." She flashed the most cheerful smile of hers I'd seen tonight, and tossed her whip to the lamppost nearby.

"Okay. Selina?"

She 'tsked' impatiently. "Now what!"

"About the letter to _Cosmo_. I lied."

She smirked. "Really, you're the worst liar in the world. How come you became a diplomat?"

With that, she swung her lithe body away into the night.

xxx

_Author's note: I always liked the way Ed Brubaker depicted the Selina-Bruce relationship, as ex-lovers who now became good friends. However, their past was too important, even for me, to ignore – even though I'm a hard core Bat-WW fan. But then, entered Slam. And I just think he's the best for Selina (though Wildcat might come up as well...). Next: Slam Bradley's comin' up._


	7. The Nike

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: Catwoman introduced Diana to her detective friend. And I don't mean the Batman. Plus some chocolate espressos and shoes._

_Special thanks to Jennifer Larissa for the great beta and for all readers for their precious feedbacks. No continuity with the current DC installments or with my 'Wedding: Interrupted'. But, we could make a scenario that stuffs like these would have happened to Diana and Selina before they became friends. All characters belong to the DC Comics, and trust me, I make no money out of this._

**Chapter 7. The Nike**

It was a long night for Private Detective Samuel 'Slam' Bradley. A rich Chicago businessman had called him three days ago, demanding to meet him pronto. He then sent an e-ticket to Slam to Chicago and briefed him about a new task of finding his long lost daughter.

"She's the product of the 'good-ol'-days', Mr. Bradley," that man had said tiredly, "I didn't realize what I did that time, but when her mother told me about her, all I wanted was to know that she was alright, and if there's anything I can do for her."

Slam had squinted, "How could you be sure that she's your daughter? For all I know, it might be just a hoax."

The mid-fifty-year-old man looked behind his glasses. He hesitated before answering, "She's not that kind of a woman. I… I loved her. Things were hard for us; it didn't work. But I loved her once, and I still care for her."

Slam still tried to play devil's advocate, "But why waiting for so long just to tell you?"

"She didn't want to put me into trouble," He sighed, "She's not a bad person, Detective Bradley. Trust me."

Slam nodded, "What made you think of Gotham then? East End even, for that matter?"

"Her mother said that she had planned to visit Gotham for a change. No news ever since."

Private Detective Slam Bradley had frowned, "Why the East End?"

"She…" his potential client had hesitated, "Her mother was working in such a district in New York when I met her. She had reported that our daughter had run away with a guy, but it's just a possible fling. Do the logic."

Slam had sighed then. Another hit-and-run case. He had studied the profile of this potential client of his. Some wild rides in the past, but otherwise clean. He grabbed the document in front of him, "She has a name?"

"Marguerite," His client said. A name Slam would unlikely find in East End, as most girls would not use their real name in red-light districts. Slam nodded, flew back to Gotham, and started to work.

That had been three days ago. What Slam had done before going to East End was sweeping the better side of Gotham for a possible link for Marguerite, a beautiful eighteen-year-old girl with honey-colored hair. Not of a striking beauty, but pretty enough that she should not be hard to find. Especially when he had successfully uncovered the identity of the famous Selina Kyle years ago.

Slam lit his cigarette. _Selina_. A name from the past, though they were still in regular contacts now. He had never approached her the way he had before, out of fear of refusal. If only he could find the reason to…

He shook his head wearily and puffed a circular smoke to the night of East End. _Grow up, old man. You can't know what she's doing now. Not that she still cares for you anyway…_

Eyeing a redhead sensuously approaching him, Slam took out the photograph of Marguerite and went to work. The redhead was not pleased to answer the questions, but she helped him anyway. He nodded several times while memorizing all the facts the redhead gave him; tape recorders tended to frighten these girls. He then thanked her and left the well-lit street. At the corner, he turned and walked a few paces before stopping at an alley. He'd like to collect his thoughts before going to the next step, and a bar or an alley would serve the purpose. He took another cigarette and attempted to light it when he heard a sultry voice from behind.

"Still smoking that cheap brand, Slam Bradley?"

He shouldn't be surprised to meet her here; this was her territory anyway. But still, his heartbeat doubled when he casually answered, "Yup. The best for my old lung."

He then turned to see a curvy figure lurking in the shadows of the alley. "Still wearing that funny outfit, Selina?"

"Catwoman here, old man," walking sensuously, Selina Kyle emerged from the shadow. "These walls have ears, you know."

"Right. And I'm a detective who fails to notice that no one is here but us." He puffed another circular smoke then squinted, "Or perhaps, I am wrong."

"Yup, you betcha." Catwoman gestured at her friend, "Slam Bradley, my friend needs your favor."

Another curvy figure emerged from the shadow. A long black cape was draped in front of her to conceal her features, but Slam always knew when he faced a beautiful woman.

"Huntress?" He eyed the pointy mask. "No, not Huntress." He turned to Selina. "Still do favors for the Bat-clan, dontcha?"

Catwoman shrugged. "Not this time. She asked my help for a separate mission."

Slam gestured with his chin, "She has a name?"

"As a matter of fact, I do, Detective Bradley," a poised voice entered the conversation. Slam squinted. Definitely not a Bat-clan. No members of Bat-clan spoke in such an elegant demeanor.

"You do?" Slam inhaled his cigarette and exhaled a strain of smokes afterwards, "Josie and the Pussycats?"

Selina snorted, "Funny, old man."

The woman smiled and gave her hand. "For the moment, please call me Diana."

Shaking the woman's hand once, Slam tilted his head. "That's a code name?"

Both women chuckled.

"Diana, the Gotham Hunter," The woman spoke again, "I assume you know a bit of Greek mythology."

"Mmm… yeah…" Slam frowned, "I might remember those things. But you're not here to gimme a lecture on Greek stuffs, no?"

Diana shook her thick hair. "No. I'm here for this girl." She took out a photograph of a pretty Latino girl. "Inez Fernandez. Was and perhaps is still a prostitute, last reported news was from East End."

Slam took the photograph and looked at a Latino girl with shoulder-length copper hair and large brown eyes. A pretty girl, if East End hadn't taken the life out of her.

"What do you want me to do after I find her?"

"Just let me know, and we'll do the rest," Selina responded.

"I'm going to take her back to Mexico City," Diana added, "Her sister Maria is worried that something happens to her. She would like to share a few words with Inez before letting Inez choose another life better than this one."

Slam made some notes and nodded. All the while, Selina tilted her head to study him.

"You got another case tonight, old man?" she asked.

"Yup." Slam closed his notes. "Another missing girl from Chicago." He took out another picture and gave it to Catwoman. "Marguerite."

Catwoman glanced at the picture and gave it to Diana. "Would be fun to find them together."

Slam chuckled and pocketed his notes, "Hey, can I keep Inez' photo?"

"Dunno," Selina looked at Diana, "Can he?"

Diana shrugged and returned Marguerite's picture to Slam, "I suppose you can. I have the scanned image of hers. I can print another one for tomorrow."

Slam pocketed both photographs, "You're still doing this tomorrow night, I take it?"

Catwoman shrugged while Diana answered tentatively, "We plan to."

"'Kay…" Slam fingered his white hair, "I can contact you tomorrow afternoon at the latest for things I find tonight. I'll go through Selina, yeah?"

Catwoman nodded, "Yeah, you can do that." Then, with a more gentle tone, she asked, "You're not sleeping again tonight?"

"Huh? Well…" Slam wiped his face with one hand, "Perhaps I should, yeah? Do I look that bad?"

"Terrible," Selina chuckled. "Do me a favor, old man. Just go home and sleep. You can still hunt them in the morning."

Slam Bradley muttered a few incomprehensible words. "How 'bout you? Still gonna patrol the city till sunrise?"

Catwoman shrugged. "Dunno. We'll see."

"If you're tired, Catwoman, we can wrap this up now," Diana offered, but Catwoman waved her hand.

"Nonsense. It's still early."

Diana nodded. "Then, shall we continue?"

For a while, Catwoman didn't reply. Instead, she looked at Slam, who was taking out another cigarette. "You should really stop smoking, Slam Bradley. You should go to sleep instead."

Pausing, Slam smirked. "Same to you, Miss Kitty."

Selina folded her hands. "I don't smoke. And don't 'Miss Kitty' me."

He chuckled. "Okay, Catwoman." Inwardly, he played with that name for a while. "I'll go to one more place and then head back home."

"Good."

"Same goes for you."

Selina Kyle smiled. "One more stop, and I'll go home then." She gestured to Diana. "We can leave now if you want."

"Sure." Diana smiled to Slam and shook his hand. "Thank you so much for the help."

Slam shrugged. "Not a hard job really."

"Part of your daily bread, eh, Slam?" Catwoman unhooked her cat-o-nine-tails.

He chuckled. "Ditto for you, Selina."

Both the private detective and Catwoman lingered for a moment before Selina snapped back and went, "Let's go, Diana."

Slam watched the two women disappearing from the alley and sighed. Meeting Selina Kyle was always comparable to riding a roller coaster. Including this one. Impulsively, he took out his cigarette once more. Yet, he stopped before lighting it off. He smiled, pocketed his cigarette box, and resumed his investigation.

-xxx-

"He looks like a nice guy."

"Huh?"

"Slam Bradley," I turned to look at Selina, "He's quite a decent guy."

"Oh… him. Yeah…" Selina smiled slightly, then cast her glance at the field of rooftops in front of us.

We were sitting at the rooftop of a twenty stories office building in East End central. This neighborhood seemed to be the most decent one in the district. From our roof, we could see the long bridge connecting East End and the greater Gotham City. I could also vaguely see Lady Gotham, the city's own Statue of Justice off the Gotham Bay. The crescent moon had just shown her beauty beneath the veil of night clouds, her reflection was visible on the surface of the Gotham River. It was a beautiful night. The best part of it, I felt that the most difficult part of my encounter with the Catwoman had passed.

I sighed in relief, feeling the fresh late night air caressing my naked face. I had put off my mask earlier. I sipped my hot chocolate espresso, enjoying the soft vapor rising from its thick and delicious liquid. Earlier, after meeting Slam, Selina had had this grand idea of purchasing latte at a local 24/7 shop. I had never though about it, but it turned out that drinking hot beverage on the rooftop was quite an exciting experience. Not to mention to receive that surprised look from the nice elderly store manager when he saw two masked women clad in black costumes striding in for two cups of hot drinks.

I looked at Selina again. She had also taken off her mask and goggles, and now tasted her mocha latte, slowly as if in contemplation. I was sure she often did that, drinking hot coffee while watching over her 'protectorate' region. I wondered if Bruce often did that, too.

"Slam…" suddenly she spoke again. " – is this kind of person that stubbornly helped me, despite my attitude towards him."

"He seems a loyal person, despite his demeanor," I commented. Actually, I was wondering if… "Do you like him?"

I was sure that two hours ago Catwoman would have hissed at my question. Or gave me a non-of-your-business scowl. But now, she didn't say a word. Not a resentful silent, though. More of a thoughtful one.

I was thinking of changing the subject when she answered.

"Of course I do. He's a good friend," She caressed her warm paper cup. "In fact, he has been…very helpful. Most of the time."

She looked at me, only to look away again. For a split second, I thought I saw a hint of sadness there. And lost. And love. I bit my lower lips to prevent me blurting out the 'Do you love him' question. And Selina seemed to get it. Her demeanor changed slightly, but enough to strengthen my suspicion that she indeed loved him. She was just scared of the feeling, didn't believe that it would last for long. Something must have happened between them, which made her felt that way. But I thought I had been prying at her enough, so I didn't continue my inquiry. Instead, I took another sip and gingerly traced my boot with my other hand.

"Nice boots," suddenly she talked again. Surprised, I looked at her. Though we had had quite a series of meaningful conversations tonight, I still had not expected her to do the things girls do, e.g., praising each other's attire.

Relieved at the change of subject, I smiled, "It is, indeed. It's made of very flexible leather, and with nice rubber soles as well. Doesn't hurt your feet at all."

"I bet," she studied the shoes intently. I almost felt like we were in a shoe shop and she was commenting on a pair of shoes I wanted to buy. I grinned at the misplaced thought.

She noticed my grin, "What?"

"Well, for once…I thought that we are inside a Prada shop and you help me deciding which shoes to buy," my goofy grin remained.

She seemed to find it funny as well, so she chuckled a bit, "Speaking of which, there is this cool sale for Prada, Miu-Miu, Gucci, and lots of stuffs like that in Milan's End, down the city center. You should check it out."

"True?" Now I felt like the girl in the 'Shopaholic' books I had read last month. It was Cassie's by the way, I just borrowed it.

She nodded and mentioned an address in a luxurious shopping area in Gotham. I made a mental note to go there sometime in the future. Donna could always use a new pair of shoes. She loved shoes and I loved discounts.

"Thanks," I looked at her boots. Hers was another cool pair of short black boots with beautiful buckles and nice soles. "Yours are actually lovely too. Where did you buy those?"

She rolled her eyes heavenwards. "It's part of my secret identity. If I tell you that, it won't be a secret anymore!"

I laughed this time, then suddenly stopped. _Shoes. Goddess..._

"Nike," I exclaimed.

"Nope. Wrong guess."

"No. I mean… It's Nike. That's what I should use."

Selina Kyle looked at me in her shopping mode. "Nike produces good shoes, if you don't consider their children sweatshops in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia a crime. But I bet there won't be Nike superhero shoes in the market."

"No. I mean…" I smiled, realizing my mistake. "I mean, Nike is the code name I should use in Gotham."

She blinked. "Whatarewetalkingabout?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm new in this secret identity thing – you know I don't even have it in my daily life. To me, Diana is Wonder Woman, and Wonder Woman is Diana. But when I'm working in Gotham, Batman's secret ID compelled me to work in secret as well. Hence, another code name."

"You have chosen 'Diana' anyway, despite what Holy and I said about it."

"Well, yes…"

"Didn't Bruce object?"

"No, he said it was up to me. But to tell you the truth, I was just not ready for another code name. I haven't found something that is…me." I looked at her and grinned again. "Until we talked about shoes."

She blinked again. "Right. Okay. Nike, eh? Explain."

"I would presume that you are familiar with Goddess Athena," she nodded, "Athena is one of my goddesses. Owl is her symbol, and she used to be an owl as well in the olden days." Catwoman arched her eyebrow at this. "Long story. Anyway… Athena has another companion, which is Nike. Nike is a winged goddess, fairy like, who brings victory and good luck to the warriors. She can run and fly at great speed, and often depicted standing at Athena's shoulder."

"Nike is a fairy?"

"Fairy-like. And as Athena's other symbol is owl… and owl is of course a nocturnal creature…" I suddenly blushed. "Oh… I don't know. It just clicks. If you know what I mean."

Selina pursed her lips, thinking. "I suppose. I think I saw a little winged figure like that in Gotham Museum a while ago, next to your Athena. It might suit you…" She shrugged. "I mean… I always love cats, and I never thought of picking up any code name before. Just like donning the cat suit, that's all." And stealing cat-themed artifacts, I thought. "And suddenly people started calling me The Cat. I don't mind that, just felt a bit weird. That was when 'Catwoman' came up. And really, I never thought of another name afterwards."

"I see…" I nodded several times, "As for me, I'm already born Diana, and had no idea what code names are and the purpose. So when I came to Man's World for the first time, I just introduced myself as Diana. I didn't even think that my traditional costume was considered unconventional that time." Again, Selina rolled her eyes. Well, _that_ was to be expected. "And then the press came up with the Wonder Woman name, and it has been stuck with me since then."

"But not in Gotham."

"But not in Gotham City," I agreed. I stared at the faraway river for a while. "Yes… I think Nike suits this city."

Selina shrugged again, "She can fly, and so can you. I can't see why not."

"Thanks. We can also see it as clearing up the goddess' namesake." She smirked, and I smiled back.

To think that I should have discussed this with Bruce first, just for convenience sake. But it turned out that I discussed the idea with his ex-girlfriend. Life can be…so interesting.

"Bruce would like it," she commented. Hmm… talk about the girlfriend-ex girlfriend bonding?

"He gave me the liberty to pick the name. Otherwise, I would just grab the liberty myself." She chuckled, and I grinned. Then I looked at the crescent moon again.

"We do have things in common, you know…"

A pair of fine eyebrows curled up. "No way."

I turned at her. "Well… not all. You have your sets of opinions, and I have mine. But we belief in what we do, that what we strive to contribute the best of us to Life."

"Well… most costumed hero-wannabe like us would think that way," She amended hastily, "To me, after the New York affair, at least."

I understood that she was referring to the New York incidents that lead to the fake death of Catwoman, and Selina's redemption. I had been very busy that time, and paid little attention to the political turmoil. However, I learned that it was quite a big shock.

I nodded. "Then we have the same names in relation to the Moon." I gestured my chin towards the sky. "Selina and Diana. Both are Moon Goddesses. Daughters of the Moon."

The ramified sentence came from her, "And we fell for a certain nocturnal creature."

Can't be closer to the Truth. "Or…he falls for us," I grinned.

"Yeah… to the Moon. Going Lunatic," She smirked, "His fault, really."

"Yes. A careless boy indeed," I drank the rest of my chocolate espresso. She finished hers as well. I looked at her and solemnly nodded.

"Thank you for the conversation. I'm glad we had these talks."

She felt into silence. I understood that it must be very uncomfortable for her to open up to a stranger – despite us being in the same heroine communities, more or less. Let alone, a stranger that was also the current girlfriend of her ex. I was not sure I could do that myself.

"So… about Inez…"

"Slam and Holy will contact me tomorrow," she spoke quickly, glad at the change of subject. "When I'm still sleeping, I'm sure." She grimaced.

I chuckled in sympathy. Catwoman is a nocturnal creature, the way Batman is. Waking up in the morning is not in their dictionary. Their habits are sleeping as the sun rises.

"Thank you. You can reach me here –" I produced a card out of my utility belt. "It's the Themyscira House. I have my mobile number there as well. Or… I can call you back, if you want. Later in the afternoon." I amended the last sentence hastily.

She studied my card intently. "Nope, this is good. I will call you in the afternoon." She stored the card in her Cat Utility Belt pocket.

The Gotham Clocktower chimed four times, easily audible in the late night hour. I grimaced. Four o'clock in the morning. Lucky it was Saturday already, I didn't have to wake up for early ambassadorial duties.

"Do you think we should wrap this up?"

Catwoman was about to reply when a familiar alarm sound rang so closely. Both of us sprang from our seat and located the source.

"Damned! Our latte store!" Selina cursed.

I blinked. Indeed, two blocks away, the 24/7 store where we purchased our drink was robbed. Must be teenagers who pretended to buy drinks late at night. Perhaps they were drunk, too.

"Hades!" I muttered. "Surely they picked the wrong night to rob the store," I gritted my teeth and hastily put my mask back, remembering the nice elderly man who served us the hot beverage. I was about to fire my grapple gun when I remembered something.

"Do you need my help, Catwoman?"

Selina already donned her mask and goggles. She shrugged while replying, "Not really. But Nike can watch Catwoman finish the thugs up. And to prevent the muggers from flying, in case they're metahumans."

I felt my wide smile threatened to crack my face into two as I continued to fire the grapple gun. This time, I didn't wait for her to cross the night sky.

-TBC-

_Author's Note:  
_

_I should thank Athena Phoenix for their idea about Athena and Diana's alter ego in Gotham. Diana's code name in Gotham had been an endless flow of ideas among Bat-WW fans ('Diana', Batwoman, Shadow, and Nemesis were just some of them), and later AP came up with an owl-like mask for Diana's Gotham costume. That linked me to Athena's other famous companion – the Nike._

_And yes, this amends my previous persistence not to have a specific code name for Diana in Batman's city. Really, the reason was because I couldn't find a proper name that rang nicely for her. Nemesis, Owlwoman, Batwoman, Huntress…All are taken for a DC character already. But now I got it, and it's Nike. Besides, it gave me another thing for Diana and Selina to talk about. Other than the Batman, of course._

_By the way, do you know that the Nike Inc. had the 'Nike' name when designer Jeff Johnson had a dream about the Goddess Nike? Then Phil Knight, the boss, liked the idea, and buzz! There they had Nike Inc. The Goddess and the Knight. How cool was that? (Don't start talking about Nike Inc.'s child-abuse in Asia. It will ruin the taste…)._

_Next: Guest starring Cassandra Sandsmark and Kara Zor-El. Wonder Girl and Supergirl._


	8. A Job for the Oldest Sister

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: The Bruce-Diana-Selina triangle. In addition to having a rich dashing boyfriend, Diana also has many sisters and some protégés. Two of her protégés – both blue-eyed blonde - are not exactly in speaking terms now. What should she do as the big sissy? BatWW, BatCat._

_Special thanks to Jennifer Larissa for the great beta and for all readers for their precious feedbacks. All characters (except for Acantha) belong to the DC Comics, and trust me, I make no money out of this (In fact, I'm almost broke because of the many comics I bought in the past!)._

**Chapter 8. A Job for the Oldest Sister**

I woke up hastily and gasped. A glance at the clock told me 10:15! I winced. Now I understood how Bruce usually woke up late. What else could you do if you went to bed every 4:30 a.m. at the earliest? I remembered that I had sneaked into his bed before 5:00. So, actually I only had slept for five hours or so.

I had gone back to the Manor last night because I had promised Bruce to come home to him. Actually, I had thought that he had wanted to have the soonest update about my encounter with the Catwoman. But to my dismay, he had already been sleeping when I had arrived. Later on, somewhere in my sleep I had felt his comforting hands hugging me, but I had been too tired to respond.

Now, I looked around to find him. He was not here. The bathroom, perhaps? As if on cue, he emerged from the bathroom, all nice and clean with his Saturday suit: white cotton shirt and blue jeans. He smiled when he saw me.

"Wake up already, sleepy head?" he went on to the tall mirror attached to his wardrobe (uhm... ours, as I also put some of my clothes there).

"Uhm...yeah..." I yawned, "What time did you return from patrol last night?"

"Three. It was a slow night." He started combing his hair.

"No wonder you slept already when I arrived."

"Mm-hmm. When did you return?" he approached the bed as he finished his hair and sat down next to me. A fresh fragrance of after-shave turned my blood on.

"Almost five. You're going somewhere?"

"You forgot? I told you last night before you went to East End. I'm going to have a brunch with Lucius, followed with an informal meeting with one of my stakeholders."

Ah, yes. Now I remembered, "Then you're going to that charity night."

He cast his eyes heavenwards, "As Bruce Wayne, yes. And I can't have Madame Ambassador with me tonight, apparently."

Since our 'official' love declaration, Bruce had reduced his public playboy appearance significantly to the point of _me_ worrying that it would evoke some curious reporters on the true nature of the Bruce Wayne. Not that they had never tried before. But Bruce himself had grown uncomfortable holding hands with other beautiful women, maintaining his playboy persona, while in his heart he actually only wanted to (quote to quote his direct speech) 'sit down in front of a silly old movie with Diana of Themyscira and eating Alfred's cookies'.

So, he had 'accidentally' met the Ambassador of Themyscira on several charity nights, and ended up leaving the party together. Fine with me, of course. And Alfred was very pleased. But, despite of both of our growing hesitance, we realized that occasionally he still had to maintain his playboy image, by dragging any pretty ladies Alfred could invite – a list that was soon to be listed as _endangered_ due to the short life span of each member.

"And how does Ollie take that?" I tried not to grin, but failed. Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, was the on again - off again girlfriend of Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow. Dinah was also one of my first friends during my early days in Man's World. Ever since, she remained one of my best friends.

He smirked. "He only agreed to let Dinah go with me tonight if he is allowed to arrive in the party as the dashing rich Mr. Queen and punch the hell out of me for stealing his girlfriend."

Dinah had very reluctantly agreed to help Bruce for tonight. Only for tonight, she had said, and that had been after Barbara Gordon's girl-to-girl 'diplomacy' with the headstrong blonde (I didn't even want to know how Oracle did the diplomacy). I grimaced in the thought of Bruce's next date (or dateless for that matter). He might have to ask Martian Manhunter to impersonate any pretty girls to come with him then. Which might not be a bad idea, after all.

"Perhaps you should ask J'onn to escort you at your next party," I voiced my suggestion, upon which he cringed and shook his head.

"Rather than waiting for that day of dating Martian Manhunter to come, I'd rather make it official with you, Madame." He smiled, then kissed me softly. I kissed him back.

"I take it last night was okay?" he asked expectantly, his deep-blue eyes glazed in concerns.

I nodded, "What do you think of Nike?"

"The shoe company?" He frowned, "Why, you want to sue them?"

I grinned. "Nope. One day perhaps. But now, I want to set a good example. How about 'Nike' as my code name in Gotham?"

He arched his thick gorgeous eyebrow. "Finally gave it a thought, did you?" It took him two seconds before resuming, "I don't see why not? Nike can fly, and so can you, though you don't have literal wings. And she brings victory and good luck. Any warrior needs that."

"Any knights would need that," I smiled. He smiled back and leaned forward. We shared another sweet kiss.

"You don't say…you thought this over when you were with her?"

I chuckled, "Yes, Mr. Wayne. I thought this over when I was with your ex. In fact, she gave me the idea, indirectly."

He lifted his eyebrow again, "Must be an interesting night you two had."

"You won't even begin to think of how we talked about your embarrassing moments." I had to suppress my laughter when I saw the horror on his face. "But seriously, you don't have time for me to fill you in, do you?"

He looked at his watch and grimaced. "Later tonight? I assume that you will go back to East End while I'm enjoying the party?"

"That's the idea. I will have a girl's night with your ex, while you date one of my best friends. Just don't forget that Dinah can kick your ass, too."

"I wouldn't worry about that," he stroked my hair fondly, "Ollie had made the reservation, so it is up to him not to dislocate my jaw."

I laughed. "Oh, you poor thing! But you're very used to that, aren't you?"

"More than you can imagine. Besides, Ollie and I still have some old scores to settle. He is just too happy to have a legitimate reason to punch me without getting punched back," He checked the time again, then got up, "Got to go. Alfred had made you some blueberry crepes downstairs. Guaranteed to make Kent's pancakes shop go bankrupt."

I grinned. Kal made mean omelettes and wicked blueberry pancakes. But I knew of Alfred's culinary expertise too well to doubt Bruce's statement.

xxx

Bruce left, and I made my way to the shower. A few minutes later I showed up with my Saturday attire (short white toga blouse and blue jeans) in the Wayne's warm wooden kitchen, of which I was getting more and more familiar, greeting the immaculate Alfred Pennyworth who just put a glass of mixed fruit juice at the island-table for me.

"A heavy night, Miss?" Bruce's factual father and loyal butler spoke casually.

"Yes..." I sat at one of the seats and yawned. "Oh, pardon me...I don't know how Bruce manages to live with his patrols."

"That, Miss, is something that I do not comprehend either," the old butler shuddered at the thought of Master Bruce's nocturnal activities.

"Come have the crepes with me, Alfred," Graciously drinking my juice, I gestured to the mouth-watering blueberry crepes.

"I'm afraid not, Miss. I've had breakfast already."

"Tea, then. At least to keep me company," Serving myself some crepes, I still didn't give up.

His wise wrinkled eyes looked at me. He smiled. "Very well. But only a cup of tea, please. I have works to do."

"Alfred, please. It's Saturday." I handed him a clean cup and saucer that were already at the table.

"Mrs. Martha's rose garden is to be attended to every weekend." He sat and poured himself a fresh chamomile tea from the teapot. Without honey, I noted.

"Ah...yes. Bruce did inherit a beautiful rose garden from her." I made a move to munch the crepe, then remembered something. "The Paradise roses, do they grow well here?"

An elegant sip of tea. "Of course, Miss. They blend well with Mrs. Martha's collections. Such a beautiful combination, I should say."

I smiled, remembering the lovely night the last time Bruce took some Paradise roses from Themyscira. "I will ask Acantha of her new collection. Seems to recall she has just invented one. _Scarlet Warrior_, she named it." Acantha was our head gardener in Paradise Island. Both fond of beautiful roses, she and Alfred had become quite good acquaintance now.

"Such a lovely name," putting his cup down, he smiled. "Inspired by you, I suppose?"

Crunching the crepe, I mused to myself. "How would I know that?"

Smiling to himself while playing with his spoon, the mild-mannered Alfred went into silent mode for a while. Finally, he spoke again. "Did you manage to see her last night, Miss?"

"Huh? Acantha?" I frowned. "No, I was in Gotham last night."

"Ah...pardon me. I was not speaking of Miss Acantha."

"Then who –" I looked at him, and understood. "He told you, didn't he?"

"I believe he didn't want to, Miss. But standing still at the balcony in the middle of the night after a patrol, looking at the crescent moon, did not really help in hiding his troubled mind from me."

"He was troubled?" Oh, my...

Alfred took another sip of tea. "At first, yes. Then after a short conversation with me, he finally was at ease. I even managed to persuade him to go to bed without waiting for you. I believed that you did not wish him to wait for you all night, did you Miss?"

"No. Not at all." I cradled my chin with one palm. "Thank you, Alfred. And may I know what you told him?"

The English butler studied his teacup, a cornflower-blue handmade ceramic. "Basically, I told him that he had such a fine woman as his lady friend, and he should be confident that she would be able to face such a small matter like this alone."

"Do you think so?"

"Miss, I never falter to think that you are one of the finest ladies I have ever encountered in my life. I could only think of Mrs. Martha and Dr. Thompkins as your rivals."

I blushed. "Coming from you, that's quite overwhelming, indeed. Thank you. But I mean... that it was a small matter?"

"To meet Miss Selina Kyle and ask for her help? No doubt, Miss. Notwithstanding the previous past of her and Master Bruce."

So Bruce hadn't told him the multiverse version. Fair enough. Folding my hands on top of the table, I looked at my half-empty fruit juice, "You've met Selina several times, haven't you?"

"Yes, Miss, several time," He reached for the teapot, "I'm ashamed to say that I might need another cup."

"Oh, please do, Alfred." I handed him the honey pot, of which he took this time.

"So, Miss Diana, I take it that you went to East End, last night?" He poured himself another cup of chamomile tea and added the honey.

"Mmhhhmm..." I continued eating, "Quite an interesting excursion, I must say."

"With Miss Selina?" Stirring the tea and honey, he arched his grayish eyebrow and smiled, "No doubt, Miss."

I looked at the last piece of my crepe, "Finally I understand why Bruce loves her, Alfred."

He silently sipped the tea, "_Loved_ her, Miss."

The past tense correction didn't pass me unnoticed.

I shrugged. "I believe the feeling just transformed to another kind of love." I munched the last piece. It was a great crepe.

"May I inquire whether you took it from Master Bruce, or deduced it yourself, Miss?"

I cleaned my fingers with the cornflower-blue napkin (such a pair with the tea set). "Both, I suppose."

"And you are content with that?"

I met his gaze. "Yes, I do. Though...I would lie if I say that I wasn't a bit jealous."

I noted that his courteous manner managed to hide a smirk that threatened to appear for half a second. "You, Miss? Of her?"

I arched my eyebrow. "Why, yes, of course." Then I elaborated my previous reasoning to him, who nodded several times.

After listening to me, he inquired. "So, after all that happened, you still believe in Master Bruce's feelings for you, then?"

"Yes," I finished the remaining of my juice, "I'm grateful to find that this issue has strengthened my trust in him."

"At the point of even accepting his love to Miss Selina. In any incarnation."

_Incarnation_. Wow. Though Alfred might mean 'form' or 'manifestation', I was sure that he didn't realize how close the tale was to the business of incarnation.

"Actually, that is very logical, Alfred. That he fell in love with her, and her to him. Such a long acquaintance and such the same _noir_ characters," I tapped my fingers on the table, then amended my statement, "Not that I'm not content that he's with me now..."

Alfred Pennyworth smiled, "Naturally, Miss. And may I say something as well?"

"Be my guest."

"I always hoped that Master Bruce would eventually found a special person to fill his lonely heart. But, even though I admire the bravery and charm of Miss Selina Kyle, who is a great woman, I am very grateful that the person to accompany Master Bruce when I'm gone for good is you, Miss. With full respect to the lively Miss Selina, of course."

Grasping his hand, I smiled, "My dear friend, with all Themysciran herbs that I give you, I'm afraid you will need to wait a little bit longer to be gone for good from our side."

"With such development of happiness in this house? Gladly, Miss. Gladly..."

After finishing my brunch and insisting on helping Alfred with the dishes (to no avail, naturally), I excused myself and departed to New York. In addition to the opening of the Ancient Greek exhibition, I had several things to do before coming back to East End. Although I could use the Bat Computer (Bruce has given me restricted access), I still prefer my sunny office in the Embassy. Besides, I could update Donna with the latest news, provided that she was at home. And catch some more sleep. How, by Gaea, did Bruce, Richard, Selina and others stay healthy after a whole night patrol? Well, okay, not Bruce. But the others?

xxx

The warm Apollo's sun caressed my face as I flew casually above Manhattan. I love Saturday mornings, where everything was slow, less land traffic than usual (not that I met many flying metas around anyway), and people were relaxed. Most importantly, my fears over what would happen to Bruce and I had subsided significantly.

I dove down above the Central Park. Choosing to have a descent entrance through the door, I descended down in front of the Themyscira House. This time, Ferdinand greeted me. Donna wasn't around; perhaps still at Roy's.

"You had breakfast already, I presume?" my Khitotaur friend asked, not unkindly.

I felt a pang of guilt. "Well, yes. But I will have your late lunch for sure." I had to make sure that I still eat Ferdinand's meals, otherwise he would feel dejected. Come to think of that...

"You know, perhaps I should introduce you to Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce's butler and de facto father. I am sure that you two will get along very well."

Unlike with my other staff, I trusted some of Bruce's live story to Ferdinand. Anyway, my cook was the only one (apart from Donna) that knew where I spent most of my weekends recently. I hadn't told him that Bruce was also the Batman, but I guessed Ferdinand had deduced it anyway.

"I will look forward to that, Diana," Ferdinand smiled, "Not to worry. I have someone enjoying a bit of my breakfast today."

I arched my eyebrow, "I thought Donna stayed overnight, too."

"No, it's me!" A voice chimed from the kitchen. As the door opened, I saw Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Supergirl leaning over the doorframe. The blonde Kryptonian looked fresh today. In keeping with the fashion nowadays, she was wearing a pink spaghetti top, one palm stuck in the pocket of her crème Capri pants, and her blonde hair was tucked in a ponytail. I remembered that Kal had 'praised' Kara as 'have the shopping part of being an Earth girl down', or something similar.

"Kara!" I ran and hugged her. It had been a while since I last met her. True, she had been staying in Themyscira for quite some times, but the two of us had been pretty busy lately. I – with my works and...well...Bruce – and her, she has other things a teenage Kryptonian superheroine should attend to.

I learned that a misunderstanding with Power Girl, Superboy and the Titans was one of her 'businesses' lately. I studied my newest protégé swiftly, but carefully. Wonder Girl wasn't very happy when I mentioned Supergirl the last time, and I wondered whether now was the time to be a good older sister. Besides, had it not been for the trip to Apokolips to save Kara, Bruce and I might still be 'just friends'. So, in a way, I owed her. The way I owed Donna.

"Sooo... long time no see, little sister," I guided her back to our favorite gossiping spot: the kitchen. "How are you?"

"Quite good, actually!" Well, that was certainly an understatement. A better examination upon Kara Zor-El revealed her very exciting complexion. "_Et toi_? I heard that you often stayed overnight somewhere lately."

I smiled, "Still have to confirm it, do you?"

"Always have to hear it from the horse' mouth, they said," she winked.

We sat down. I played with the kitchen napkin Ferdinand always put in handy. Color of the day: yellow pumpkin.

"Sooo?" apparently, Kara wasn't pleased with my silence.

"So what?"

"You tell me now, Sister. Or I will tell Clark that Bruce and you have been –"

"He already knew."

"Wha-?" her blue irises went wild. "How dare you tell him, and not me!"

I shrugged, "I didn't. He knew it by himself. As he always put it, 'Bruce is not the only one who does detective works here, Diana'."

"And he was okay?"

"Why not?"

"Well... because... I used to think that...of all guys... why –"

"Does it have to be Bruce, the cold brooding man?" I offered her assistance.

"Well... yeah... sort of... But I s'ppose Bruce is a nice guy anyway...I just don't know how you two could possibly end up together…"

I grinned. "That, Sister, is a bedtime story. Now –" I glanced at the clock, " – I have to do some work. Got to meet a friend tonight, too. A rescue mission."

"Bruce?"

I shook my head and lifted myself from the chair. "Nope. Another one similar to him."

"Batgirl? Or..." was she blushing? "...uh – Nightwing?"

"No. Bedtime story. Stay overnight next Monday, and I will tell you."

Slowly standing, Kara stuck out her lower lip, "What is this with all secrecy? I thought sisters are supposed to share secrets?"

"One at the time, Sissy..." I turned to leave, then caught a glimpse of disappointment in her face, "Oh... please. You're not sad just because I don't tell you? I really want to, but not now."

"..s'okay..."

"But...?"

"No... I just..."

"Yes?"

Aquamarine eyes looked into me helplessly, "I just...need to talk."

Oh, silly me! Why did I think that she just came here to gossip about Bruce? _Not everything in this world is about Bruce, Diana! Grow up!_

Thus, I switched into sisterhood mood and sat down again, "I'm here to listen."

Kara also sat down. But this time, she avoided my eyes. I looked at her. She was clearly blushing. Suddenly I understood.

"You met a guy!"

"Shhhh!!! Slow down! It's not a U.N. speech!" Oops. It was true that I yelled when I said that.

"How do you know?" she almost whispered. Hmm. Good questions. How did I know?

"Ummm... I guess... when you're in love... it is easy for you to detect the same passion in other women?"

The pink hue on her cheeks had turned into red now. Still pale red, but definitely would go scarlet.

"Who is this guy?"

"If I tell you this, would you tell me about Bruce?"

"Why... this is not about Bruce and me, isn't it?"

"By Rao! Diana, why don't you just tell me about Bruce?"

"Why do you want to talk about him now? It was your secret lover we are talking about."

Now, her cheeks definitely went scarlet, "Uhmm... because... it has things to do with him."

"Huh? Bruce?" my heart sank. Selina Kyle wasn't enough, now Kara Zor-El also had a crush on Bruce?

To my relief, she shook her head vehemently. "Nooo waaaayyy, Di! Not in the whole world would I have a crush on such a jerk like him!"

I flinched. Clearly, Kara wasn't still very fond of Bruce. But at least she also didn't love him. Heh.

"So...who?"

"..."

"Whuh?" Even my sensitive hearing couldn't make me belief on what I heard.

"...ing..."

I blinked. No. Way. Not in a zillion way.

Kara Zor-El, my youngest protégé, had a crush on Nightwing. Batman's protégé. Most wanted bachelor of Bludhaven and Gotham (next to Bruce). A very handsome young fellow with long hair and nice rear the whole female members of superhero communities seemed to enjoy watching, and to my knowledge had at least three heroines as his (ex) girlfriends. Not to mention a reasonable number of girls as his admirers. Great. Just great.

xxx

The kitchen door opened suddenly. Half expecting to see Ferdinand, Kara and I turned our heads nonchalantly to the door. Alas, it wasn't the Khitotaur that entered the kitchen, rushing. It was...

"Cassie! Hi!" I hoped she didn't register my surprise.

Cassandra Sandsmark just stood in front of the door, her both hands holding several nightgowns. Her blue eyes sparkled in irritation at the sight of...not me. I followed her sight...to see Kara glaring at Cassie with the same fashion.

I gulped. What with sisterhood and all things? They went flying out of the window by the time a Superboy stupidly mistaken by Wonder Girl – his girlfriend – as trying to make a pass with Supergirl – his own cousin.

I only knew a small part of the version, but apparently Kara grabbed Cassie's lasso (bestowed by Ares), and channeled her anger towards the Daughter of Zeus. Hundreds of volts of electricity charged Wonder Girl, and by the time she got over the shock, she still couldn't get over her anger over Supergirl.

I grimaced. I should launch an official protest to Ares for giving my protégé the stupid Lasso of Anger. And I should have a nice word with Kal how to handle _both_ of his cousins.

Boys. They're soooo... annoying. Causing lots of troubles. Just like Bruce. Causing Selina and me lots of troubles.

Come to think of that, I knew what I had to do.

"Hi...Diana..." Cassie finally managed to return my greeting, notwithstanding neglecting Kara's presence.

"You need help?" My eyes darted to her dresses.

Cassie nodded. "I need to see Donna. Have a date tonight...haven't decided which dress to wear – or perhaps buy another one..." she muttered, "Kon asked me to watch the movie...You know…that Superman movie they just made?"

Kon-El, the Superboy, and also Kal's cloned 'cousin' currently had an identity crisis as the result of inheriting Lex Luthor's DNA for half of his biological compositions. A few weeks back, he attacked all Titans, managed to hospitalize Cassie as well. That was after my trip to Japan. Apparently, Kon-El was in his attempts of overcoming his crisis. Among others, by making up with his girlfriend. Hmph. About time he realized that he wasn't only 'made of' 50 of Luthor's materials, but also 50 of Kal's. The Superman, for Athena's sake!

I wondered if Kon-El's name was mentioned in purpose. Kara, however, didn't move an inch when Cassie glanced at her. Why would she? After all, the one who she wanted to see again was Nightwing...

...which was Donna's best friend. I had just suggested Kara to see Donna instead, as she definitely knew Dick Grayson better than I did.

And, to make the case worse, Cassie was also looking for Donna.

"I believe she stays overnight at Roy's." I informed her with my 'big-sissy' tone. Which meant, 'do not disturb Donna'.

Cassie understood. Hesitantly, she tucked a lock of her blonde hair away. "Oh. Well, then... I will just get going then..."

"Why a hurry? Come have lunch with us." To think that I had things to do...

"Oh, no, thanks..." Cassie looked sharply at Kara. "I'm not hungry."

Uh-oh.

"Actually, I was leaving anyway." Kara stood up hastily, almost knocked down her chair. "Thanks, Di, for the advice."

Huh. Teenagers!

"Actually," I stood up as well, gesturing at both blonde teenagers to stay, "I was thinking that you two should stay. I will ask Ferdinand to make anything you want to eat for lunch."

"I'm not hungry!"

"Clark's making me lunch!"

"You. Two. Are. Staying. Now." I gave both of them the Wonder version of Batglare. "I will leave you for two hours' work now. You will not leave this place until you two have solved the problems of a boy and a lasso."

They both winced; clearly getting the message I was trying to send. Good.

"And if I refuse?" Cassie defiantly asked. Wrong question launched to the wrong diplomat.

"You will not receive help from Donna regarding your dresses," I said sweetly, then turned to Kara. "And you will not receive her advice either regarding that _other_ matter. Remember, Donna will always consider my advice."

Both their already-clouded lovely faces turned sour as they realized the ramification of my arguments. Reluctantly, they sat down across the table, reluctant to face each other.

Pleased with myself, I sailed out of the kitchen (after closing the door as to not hear them shouting at each other) and went to my office.

Now what was left (in addition to the East End business) was how to handle the jealous Barbara Gordon and a very emotional Princess of Tamaran. And perhaps, Helena Bertinelli, though rumor had it that she had given up her love for Dick Grayson, and found that the Question was very appealing instead. Suddenly, my issues (or what was left of them) with Selina weren't that much of a problem.

xxx

_Author's Note: the silly fighting between Supergirl and Wonder Girl was depicted in Supergirl#2. God, I hate that issue! Kara's fling on Nightwing was transparent in Supergirl#3, apparently a much better issue that the previous one. Too bad, I missed that copy... Oh, and I just named Cassie's lasso 'Lasso of Anger', coz that's the way the silly lasso works. By channeling anger. Heh. But, I'm glad that now SG and WG are friends (SG#9 said that at least…). Though many people dislike them (BW… ahem…), I kinda like them. Sure, they're kinda unstable… but they're teenagers anyway… Add Courtney Whitmore the Stargirl to that, and we've got PAD's Blonde Justice._

_Reference of the roses and Acantha can be found in my first fanfic: Daughters of the Moon._

_Next: Gotham charity night. While dating a certain blonde, Bruce met another woman of his life…_


	9. Other Choices of Happiness

**Echoes of the Past**

**Rated: T**

_Summary: Bruce Wayne went to the charity dinner with his newest 'victim', Dinah Lance (who was ready to knock him anytime). There, they met someone else...Guest starring: Black Canary and Green Arrow_

_Special thanks to Jennifer Larissa for the great beta and for all readers for their precious feedbacks. All characters belong to the DC Comics, and though it's not in continuity with the current DC episodes, I really don't mind they adopt the Bat-WW frenzy here! And trust me, I make no money from this._

**Chapter 9. Other Choices of Happiness**

The Gotham Royale Hotel was buzzing as a flock of local and national celebrities just arrived at the charity night for the American Heart Association. Though the original intention was to raise funds for higher quality heart research and more accessible treatment for all in need, the sweet ganache of the events was more interesting. Not only did these sorts of events attract many actors, actresses, singers, and models (you name it), Gotham's rich and attractive men and women (single or married with kids) also came with their partners (official or non-official ones, long term or just for the night). And these people attracted more attention to the press, much more than the doctors and heart researchers who were also there. That is, unless the paramedics were also dashing, beautiful, or rich.

One of the most anticipated guests tonight was Diana of Themyscira, the Ambassador of Themyscira, a.k.a. Wonder Woman, who was accustomed to attending such humanitarian events. But the reporters of _Gotham Gazette_ and _Gotham Morning Herald_ had received a confirmation from the event organizer that Madam Ambassador would not be able to attend the event, as she was required somewhere else at the exact time of night. Gotham's gossip reporters could only mutter a curse, as they would fail to confirm any suspicion on Wayne's possible relationship with the Amazon. Of course, 95 of the reporters themselves didn't believe that such a mature, smart, beautiful woman like Diana would fall for a womanizer jerk like Bruce Wayne, despite the rumor that the couple had been spotted together at least twice during such events. Plus there were some rumors of their appearances together in Japan and Indonesia. But still...Wonder Woman with the Bruce Wayne? What, the world's going to end?

So, when the Wayne limousine stopped right in front of the red carpet and the debonair Bruce Wayne in a dashing Armani strolled into the ballroom with a fair lady (blonde, blue eyes, and oh, so sexy...) in his arm, these reporters just stormed for the interviews.

"Mr. Wayne, who's this charming lady this time?"

"Rumor has it that you spent some times in Bali and Tokyo with Diana of Themyscira, is this true?"

"Mr. Wayne, how about Ms. Da Costa that you took out the other night?"

"Mr. Wayne... Bruce... smile, please?"

Lights from the camera flashes seemed eternally burst to capture the gorgeous couple. The blonde lady, clad in a gorgeous deep blue silk empire-line Vera Wang dress, seemed tense, and almost ready to punch any reporters next to her. Several times the billionaire tucked her hand and smiled oh so admiringly at her, making her a bit relaxed again. By the time the entire 'introduction' was over, the couple just darted into the ballroom to escape.

"This is the first _and_ the last time I help you with this!" Dinah Laurel Lance, a.k.a. Black Canary, hissed in vengeance.

"I almost thought you enjoyed this." Bruce Wayne nodded nonchalantly to several guests.

"Enjoy, my ass! If it weren't because I lost the bet with Babs, I would never – ever – do this crap business. Being Bruce Wayne's date for the night!" Impatiently, she shoved a stray of her hair and rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Diana gave her consent, so I don't have to play cat and mouse with her."

Bruce arched his eyebrow. 'Cat' appeared a lot in the conversation these days.

"How do you know that Diana approved?" he took a glass of Champaign and charmingly sipped the rich golden liquor.

"She called me this afternoon." Dinah opted for Chianti.

"She did, did she?" Bruce smirked. "What did she say?"

"That I'm always welcomed to toss you across the room if you dare to really grab my butt."

In an attempt to contain his laughter, Bruce almost choked up. "That's...a very good advice."

"Yeah... can't say I would handle it this well if I were her."

Bruce swept the room with his dopey playboy glance, noting that the arrival of several actors and actresses had diverted the press' attention from him. Good. Despite Batman's indifferent demeanor to the Black Canary, he highly respected the female martial artisan. Not to mention she was Barbara Gordon's closest friend who accompanied her since before her darkest hours until the present days. The less frequent he had to play the playboy game with her, the better for him.

"So... you lost the bet from Barbara that Diana and I would really end up together?" He swirled his Champaign glass casually.

"How do you kno –" _Hello? The World's Greatest Detective?_ "Well, that was Tim losing bet from Babs on that. Me, I bet that it would take at least half a year for you before you admit that you have a thing on her."

Bruce cast his eyes heavenwards grumpily. _Thank you, Titans of Myth._

"It turned out, it took only...what...four months for you to go out on a mission with her to Minosyss. And met a bunch of Titans and Outsiders there." Dinah shrugged. "So, I lost."

He snorted. "Well, at least _that_ made you my date tonight."

She tucked her blonde hair again and replied sweetly. "Well... let's not forget that Ollie will be arriving here shortly."

"No kidding. What did you see in him, anyway?"

"Riiiiiggght. What did Di see in _you_, anyway?"

"Before we go into such discussion, I should wave and bluff with some folks. Shall we go together?"

"Please, Mr. Wayne, gimme a break. Those reporters were annoying enough. Your friends here? I could really, really punch them."

"Just five minutes, then you excuse yourself to the lady's room."

Dinah Lance studied her 'date' of the night carefully. She had known Bruce Wayne for a long time, though at first through his other persona as the Dark Knight. She was also aware of his habit of dating various women, mostly because of the necessity to protect Bruce's real nocturnal activities. However, she also knew that Bruce was quite serious in pursuing a true relationship with some very limited member of the fairer gender, an attempt that seemingly always made him a darker and stoic man.

Until recently, as the rumors among the Leagues, Titans, and Outsiders slowly but sure revealed that the Batman had started dating the Wonder Woman, of all women. Dinah was far from jealous of learning this gossip, which later on proved to be true. On the contrary, she was quite happy that Bruce Wayne, a man of cold but golden heart, had finally found someone he could trust his love to. She had observed the slight change in Bruce's demeanor so far. In such events like this, he still (understandably) wore his playboy smile. However, since her arrival from Metropolis at the Wayne Enterprise private airport (Zinda dropped her with Aerie One at the airport to meet Bruce and Alfred who personally picked her up) and all the way to the Gotham Royale, the playboy had now and then cast his genuine smiles to her, smiles that she originally had thought he had lost.

_The Batclan should really thank Diana_. Dinah finally sighed and followed her date, entering the dangerous blood-sucking vampires.

With Dinah in his hand, Bruce strolled deeper into the ballroom, wave at Lucius Fox, grinned at Donald Trump, shook hands with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (Diana often met the actress during the UN missions), and was tempted to start a serious discussion on the latest development of _aortocoronary by-pass_ methods with one of the heart physicians in the party when he realized that Bruce Wayne should know near to nothing of cardiac surgery. He then wrote a very generous cheque, gave it to Lucius, and started to bluff about his latest polo game, while all along tucking his newest 'girlfriend'.

The master of ceremony had only begun his speech on the importance of the event when Dinah gave up and excused herself 'to the lady's room'. After ten minutes, Bruce left the crowds and standing nearby the cocktail table, watching as the head of the Gotham City Hospital started yet another speech. Behind his laid-back expression, Bruce planned a possible donation to a Dyslexia research in Harvard University, a topic in which Diana also interested. Thinking of her made him smile a genuine smile that rarely showed in Bruce Wayne's face, at least in public. _I should've called her before about last night. Should be interesting to hear._

Suddenly, he noticed someone standing behind him. _Speaking of which..._

"Hello, Bruce."

He turned to face Selina Kyle, gorgeously dressed in a short emerald strapless gown, her hands clad in white party gloves.

"Selina. Enjoying the party?"

"Not as your date tonight does." She gestured to Dinah who just went back to the room. The blonde woman abruptly stopped as she registered the identity of the woman to whom Bruce was talking. Dinah waved a permissive hand and disappeared into the crowd.

"My, isn't she polite tonight," Selina arched her eyebrow.

"Doesn't want to get in another row. One is enough for tonight."

"Did she slap you or something?" Her emerald eyes sparkled in mild amusement.

Bruce winced. "Not yet. Someone will surely do that soon."

"Well... let's hope it's not _me_."

He looked at her in the eye. "I sure hope not."

As Bruce earlier told Diana, his history with Selina was a long book to read. And when he and Selina met or dated in parties, being the sexual creature she was, Selina was usually sensual and alluring. Not that she wasn't stunning tonight, she was always attractive. The admiration and lust of many men who looked at her were the proof. But tonight, she didn't purr and seduce, even just for fun, the way she usually did. He knew that she wanted to talk in private.

"We go outside, shall we?"

She nodded. "The balcony's a good idea."

xxx

"You've met Diana last night."

She cast a look at him. "My...aren't we forward."

"I know you want to stick to the point." Bruce walked to the ornate iron railing of the balcony and placed his hands on it, trying to enjoy the night breeze of Gotham.

Selina Kyle shrugged, her hand fidgeting with a large Egyptian cat pendant dangling at her slender neck. "I s'ppose..."

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silent, the long time friends and former lovers didn't truly know what to say.

"Bruce, listen – "

"Selina, I –"

Upon speaking at the same time, they cast shy smiles. He took a careful look at her. She was as great and sexy as ever, smart and witty as ever. When did all things go wrong? That, no matter how hard they tried, it seemed that it just didn't fit?

He sighed, trying to start again. "Selina, listen."

"No, Bruce. Lemme talk first."

He shook his head. "No. This time, I have to do that first. Just...bare with me. This is not easy."

She smiled remorsefully. "What is easy with you?"

He grimaced. "Well...yeah...for starters...I'm not good at this type of talking."

"Really."

"And it's hard, because...you're so dear to me."

She stood still.

"I..." Facing her, he fingered his immaculate hair, trying to find suitable words. "Selina, we've tried. You know we did. Many times. It's...It's just didn't...work."

Folding her hands, she turned away to see the moon above. The same crescent moon that she and Diana saw last night. Selina Kyle sighed.

"She said that she and I are both daughters of the moon. Perhaps, that's why you love us." She took a glance at him. "Bats, you see? They love nights and the moon."

His lips formed a faint smile. "What else did she tell you?"

She looked away again. "That...you will always love me, care for me. That you and I will always have a connection. And she respects that."

"You believe that?"

"She's the Warrior of Truth, Bruce. Perhaps I should have my head checked. But despite my earlier reservations, I believe her. Still... I need to hear from you directly."

Bruce nodded. Slowly, he grabbed both of her arms gently, making her face him. "Selina… we had our quarrels and disputes." He pursed his lips before resuming, "We also had our love, excitements and pleasures together. While those days are...gone now...we still have our friendship. A long-time precious friendship. And I intend to keep that."

She studied him for a while.

"Still wanna race to City Hall, sometimes?"

"I'll still beat you."

"Since when? Still gonna help me if I need you?"

He shrugged. "You have my beeper and number. Plus –" he smirked, "you can always use the cat-signal if you need me."

She lifted her neatly trimmed eyebrows, her lips curled into a smile. "That's a good idea."

"I can help you make one. The cat signal."

"No way."

"Way. But that might give indications to the villains of your whereabouts. Better stick with the beeper and the phone number."

"Really. How 'bout if I need you to rescue me?"

He frowned. "In a dire situation where you most unlikely going to survive alone?"

"Unlikely gonna happen. But if?"

He folded his hands. "I will rescue you, of course."

"If Diana's there?"

"She will rescue you."

Eyebrows arched. "Really, Bruce. I mean, if you have to choose between her and me?"

He sighed. "I choose you."

Emerald eyes blinked in disbelief. "What?!"

"Diana once stated that should any circumstances force me to choose between saving her and other heroes, I should save the others first."

She remained agape.

"Because she believed that she could save herself. Or at least, she's more resilient than others. And...quoting what she said, 'that's what heroes are for'."

"You..." the Feline Fatale tried to speak. "...really can do that?"

He sighed. "I admit, if facing a condition between saving her and you, that will be a very hard choice. I love her, Selina..." His eyes begged for her to understand. "...but you are a very dear person for me. Choosing between saving her life and yours would almost be impossible to me."

Selina remained silent.

"But then, she told me what I've told you just now. That lifted my burdens quite a bit." He gathered his thoughts, and spoke again. "That doesn't mean that I undermine your presence, or that I help you or the others just because she said so."

Slowly, he saw a glimmer of understanding emanated from the emerald eyes in front of him. She was finally convinced that he, the World's Greatest Detective, still loved her, the World's Greatest Thief. The Protector of East End. The Feline Fatale. Despite her past, Bruce Wayne, the Batman, still loved her the way she was, though now it was a platonic friendship love, instead of lust. She felt that she could live with that.

"Such a vanity, if said by other than her." She finally commented.

He shrugged. "That's Diana."

She looked at him again. "Okay. One more thing."

"Yeah?"

"Next time you pick a girlfriend, choose a bitchy one will ya? A girl like her makes it hard for me to be catty."

He chuckled this time. She produced a grin, despite her attempt to restrain it.

"I'll try to remember that." He extended his arm to hug her.

She hesitated for a while, and then poured herself in his embrace. It felt...strange. Despite the lack of desire they used to share, his frame and hands were still protecting and comforting. And strangely, that moment she felt nothing but grateful that he was and always would be her friend.

He stroked her short hair fondly. "You're going to be all right?"

Hidden by his frame, she managed a little smile. "You betcha."

He nodded. After maintaining the embrace in a comfortable silent, they broke off.

"You went here alone?" Looking at her in the eye, he inquired again.

"Leslie. She's somewhere here. I have to find her soon."

"Don't worry, dear. I'm fine."

Bruce and Selina turned to the balcony entrance to see Dr. Leslie Thompkins smiling at them, her hand toting a glass of Champaign.

"Got more funding, Leslie?" Bruce greeted his former foster parent.

"As always, thanks to you. Selina, they have some great wine over there, darling."

The younger woman nodded, then entered the ballroom. "See you later, Bruce."

Bruce gestured to escort them inside, but halted by the older woman.

"And when will you introduce me to Diana – properly?" Leslie whispered.

He blinked. "Uh...yes. I – "

"She came to the clinic last night. A very nice lady. You should behave yourself, Bruce."

"Uh...I will..." Despite their intermittent arguments, Bruce still considered Leslie his parent. And tonight, he felt like his own mother was scolding him of not introducing his new girlfriend to her. _Now I know what Clark feels when Martha Kent gives him that look._

Dr. Leslie Thompkins smiled again and left to join Selina.

"Bruce!"

_Oh, please. Now what?_

He turned to see the blonde Dinah walking to him, very sensual and seductive. Then, she leaned to him in such a way that would make Selina jealous (for Dinah's seducing techniques) if it were done a few months back. He only needed half a split second to overcome his surprise, and hugged Dinah back.

"Ollie's here, I take it?" he whispered.

"Yeah," Dinah murmured sensually. "Be ready to get a punch."

"Should I grab your behind?"

She squinted and purred sweetly. "You want me to hit you instead?"

He flashed his most enchanting playboy smile. "I don't recall you plan that?"

"Yo! Wayne!" A harsh voice rang from behind him.

And suddenly Bruce Wayne was flying towards a table behind and crashed unceremoniously.

"Ya bastard!" Oliver Green towered tall over him. "Ya ain't takin' away my girlfriend and still livin' to tell the story!"

Bruce grinned, seemed hard to get up (though actually, without difficulties). "Well... I would say she enjoys it. Perhaps you should take care of her bet –"

Another blow, Bruce slamming another table, and the press gathered around the two celebrities. Dinah Lance, a.k.a the Black Canary, cast her eyes heavenwards. _If only these guys know they're watching the Batman and the Green Arrow fighting like ten year olds..._

xxx

Selina shook her head. "That's what he meant by that."

"What, dear?" Grinning, Leslie still watched Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen fighting. The woman doctor often felt that Bruce's attempts to maintain the womanizer status was ridiculous, but occasionally she still found it amusing. At least, this time.

"Nothing." The younger woman looked at her. "I have to go soon. These things are no fun anymore."

The older woman looked at Selina in the eye and understood. "Oh...honey...I'm sorry."

She shook her short raven hair. "Really, Leslie. There's nothing to be sorry for."

"Do you need to talk about it?"

Her delicate eyebrows knitted into a frown. "No. Well...not now, at least."

"He still cares for you."

"Doesn't change the fact that he's with her."

"Doesn't change the fact that he cares for you."

She looked at the older woman in the eye. "Leslie, really, do you think that's a reason to be happy?"

"If a true friendship can't make you happy, then what?"

She shrugged. "Dunno."

They walked towards the exit together.

Selina spoke again. "But...from what I've learnt so far...a nice sunset in this city will do."

"That's a good start."

"Also... a nice night breeze while swinging from one pole to another. And feeding my youngest kitten more milk."

Leslie nodded.

Selina pursed her lips. "A good chat at the balcony with an old friend, and a warm hug afterwards."

Dr. Thompkins smiled.

"And..." Selina took Leslie's hand to escort her, "sharing warm hot chococino at the roof top while gossiping a certain jerk."

The older woman chuckled, patting the younger woman's hand.

Selina Kyle smiled. "I might take another cup tonight."

xxx

_Author's note:_

_Black Canary has already given up her secret ID, but dunno if Green Arrow's secret ID is off now (people in DC message board said so). I tried to write Selina based on Brubaker's revamp, a more matured woman who tried to find happiness in more essential things. So, here she's not that the way she used or sometimes is still notoriously portrayed. In the light of the recent Catwoman #50 (when Zatanna revealed the dark past that she and some of old leaguers – including the Black Canary – mind wiped Catwoman), and despite my assumption that Dinah knows Catwoman's secret ID, her reaction to Selina talking to Bruce has nothing to do with the mind wipe. Coz I don't bother to include mind wipe in my continuity. _

_Oh, and Gail Simone made the Black Canary kissed Batman (as a token of gratitude) in Birds of Prey#90. So, Dinah can be quite a shock, sometimes!_

_Next: East End again._


End file.
